Pieces of Me
by XxTartLoverxX
Summary: A proposal, a man-to-man talk, a confession, and more lead Stephanie and Ranger down a new road with multiple twists and turns. Just when they think they had found their fairytale ending, tragedy strikes! Is a HEA possible? Babe story...Morelli friendly! Enjoy!
1. Man Up!

**Disclaimer: **Characters don't belong to me. They belong to the amazing Janet Evonovich. I simply play with them for a bit and then send them back to their rightful owner.

Here we go again. I'm back, along with my amazing beta Potterwench, for another exciting ride. This is my first multi-chapter Babe story so sit back and enjoy.

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**Chapter 1 - Man Up!**

The Burg grapevine was abuzz with the latest gossip. Word around town is that something is going to happen between the town's hottest couple. Most of the town thinks this is the big proposal. Joe Morelli was seen shopping in a local jewelry store and tonight, he's taking Stephanie to her favorite restaurant. His coworkers and fellow cops had a pool of money thinking tonight was the night.

Stephanie dressed in a long cargo skirt and a tight blue sweater. Her hair was down and curled around her face and shoulders. Make-up was light, just the way Joe liked it. She had done a lot of thinking over the past few weeks and knew that she and Joe needed to have a serious discussion. Tonight's dinner at Pino's was the perfect opportunity. She knew that he had dreams of them getting married and having children, but those were his dreams and she needed him to understand that she wasn't ready for those things to happen. She might never be ready.

She stood tapping her manicured nails on the kitchen counter. Joe was late, as usual and she was beyond angry. Finally, an hour and a half past the time he was supposed to pick her up, she heard her locks tumble. Stephanie swallowed her annoyance as Joe stepped around the corner. She looked at his shaggy hair, which was in desperate need of a haircut, his handsome face covered in a sexy five o'clock shadow. He was dressed casually in faded jeans that hugged his ass perfectly and a grey Henley shirt that showed the contours of his rigid muscles. Stephanie couldn't deny that Joe was a gorgeous man, and her hormones took notice immediately. But she refused to stay in the weird on-again off-again relationship anymore.

Joe smiled sexily at her and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Stephanie couldn't help but melt a little as his lips worked hers expertly. "Sorry I'm late, Cupcake. Something came up at work. Are you ready to go?"

"I'm ready and starving. Let's go." Stephanie grabbed her purse and jacket and followed Joe out of her door. Joe placed his palm at the small of her back and led her to the elevator. The ride to restaurant was quiet as Stephanie and Joe each retreated into their own thoughts. Each one had different outcomes of this night playing in their mind.

Since it was so late, they found an empty table at the back of the restaurant and took their seats. Joe could tell that Stephanie was thinking about something, but he didn't know how to approach the conversation. After placing their order with the waitress, Joe decided to break the silence.

"How was your day, Cupcake?" He decided to go with something neutral. For the first time in his thirty-five years, he was nervous.

"It was good. I picked up Mooner and Dougie today with no problems. Then when I went after Benny Caluchi, he decided to throw his bowl of spaghetti on me. I dodged most of it and got him in cuffs, but the boys at the station still had a laugh about the noodles in my hair." Stephanie shrugged and made polite conversation. She knew that Joe didn't like her being a bounty hunter. She watched his jaw tense and then relax as she told him about her day. She saw him think about something and look intently at her. She knew he was having a war in his head, but wasn't really sure what it was about or who was winning. Finally Joe let out a long sigh and ran his hand through his long hair making it stand up sexily.

"Can I ask you a serious question, Cupcake?" Stephanie nodded at his question and waited patiently for him to continue. "Do you honestly like being a bounty hunter?"

That wasn't the question she was expecting and it took her off guard. Of course she liked being a bounty hunter. She didn't like rolling in garbage or getting hurt, but she honestly loved her job. Joe was keeping a keen eye on her as she thought intently about his question. He knew what her answer was going to be.

Stephanie let out a sigh knowing that she was about to hurt the one man who had been in her life for years. "Joe, I don't just like being a bounty hunter. I love it. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I take a skip into the TPD. I feel like I'm making a difference in this town. Why did you want to know that?" She watched his face fall and he looked down at the table.

She saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a small box. He opened it and sat it on the table in front of her. Stephanie's breath caught in her throat. "I want to marry you, Cupcake. I want to run to Vegas right now and stand in front of Elvis and say, 'I do'. I want to see you get big carrying my child. I want to grow old with you. I want to sit on our front porch when we're eighty and chase off the young whipper-snappers who think they can play in our yard. I want a life with you." Stephanie stopped breathing while Joe talked.

Joe's mind was swirling with emotions. He wanted all of those things, but he also knew that he was never going to have them. Listening to her talk about her job and seeing the joy on her face, he finally understood that they were headed in different directions. "As much as I want that all, Steph...it doesn't matter because you don't want those things and I've realized that I can't make you want them. I can't force you into this because it would make both of us miserable." He picked the box back up snapping it closed and shoved it in his pocket.

Stephanie released a tense breath when the ring was out of her sight. Her mind was screaming that it was too close for her comfort. "Joe..." Her voice cracked on its own volition. "Joe, I'm so sorry." She reached her hand across the table and rubbed his face.

Joe shrugged and placed a kiss on her open palm. "I love you Cupcake, but I can't wait for you." Stephanie knew he was telling the truth. She was planning on telling him the same things tonight.

"You know I love you, Joe." Her voice cracked and Joe nodded. "I love you too much to keep stringing you along. I agree that you can't wait for me. You shouldn't have to." They were quiet for several minutes as the waitress brought their pizza out. They ate in companionable silence.

Stephanie let Joe have the last piece and she watched him as he ate. She was going to miss him. She wasn't going to miss the ultimatums and the screaming, but she was going to miss the companionship, and…the sex. "We'll always be friends, right Joe? I don't want to lose you totally from my life."

"You'll never lose me from your life, Steph. I'll always be here for you. Just not in the same capacity as we have been in the past." Joe smiled at her from across the table. She smiled back catching his drift.

Stephanie decided to taunt her now ex-boyfriend. "You mean you won't be there to help with my lack of sugar cravings? You won't call me at all hours of the night saying that the boys miss me?" Joe laughed and shook his head.

"Sorry Cupcake, this ship has sailed and you've lost your chance." He was joking and Stephanie laughed. It felt right being with him like this. She knew a while ago that they were always better suited as friends. "I want you to be happy, Joe. You'll find someone who can give you all the things that I can't."

Joe watched her intently as she spoke. He knew her deep feelings for Ranger and before tonight, it pissed him off. Now, he can see that they were perfectly suited for each other. He didn't know the extent of their relationship, but he knew she loved Ranger a lot more than she did him. "You deserve to be happy too, Steph." She got what he was hinting at and rolled her eyes.

"Never going to happen," Joe scoffed and decided he needed to have a talk with one Ricardo Carlos Manoso. He saw more than he let on and knew that Ranger loved her just as much as she did him. "Don't scoff at me. I've come to terms with it and its okay. I mean...it's not okay, but I don't know what..." Stephanie stopped as she realized that she was about to spill her guts to the guy that she recently ended a relationship with. That was too much and she needed to change the subject. "So what brought on your sudden change in attitude?" Stephanie smiled as the waitress sat her Oreo milkshake down in front of her.

Joe chuckled because he knew that she hated talking about feelings, so he let her change the subject. "I was looking at the ring earlier today and I had a thought. The stone is large and sticks out from the setting and I thought if you wore it while bounty hunting, then the stone would probably get lost. I then thought about which you would choose if I asked you to, me or the job. Then I knew my answer when you told me about your day."

Joe let out a sigh and decided to come clean about some other things too. "I also realized that I haven't always been the best boyfriend have I? I mean, the times I've yelled at you at your latest car explosions...all of the ultimatums and demands. That wasn't right of me and I'm sorry, Cupcake." Stephanie's eyes got wide at his admission.

"You don't have to apologize, Joe. We had enough good times to make up for all the bad. I should apologize to you for leading you on for so long. I knew what you wanted and I knew that I would never want the same things." Stephanie hung her head in shame thinking about how much her stringing him along must have hurt. "You deserve the world Joe and you could have had it much sooner had I not been in your life."

Joe reached across the table and lifted her chin up so his brown eyes were staring into her baby blues. "I wouldn't go back and change anything, Stephanie. I have no regrets and neither should you." She let out a sigh and nodded. She understood what he was saying and if he could let bygones be bygones, then so could she.

After the milkshakes were gone, Joe drove Stephanie back home and walked her into her apartment. She stood in the small entryway with his front pressed tightly into her back. She could smell his cologne and feel his warm breath on the back of her neck. If they hadn't just broken up, she would have thrown him down on the floor and rode him like the Stallion he claims to be. Stephanie turned around in his arms and stared into his dark eyes. She read the desire and passion laced throughout his gaze.

"I had a good time tonight Joe. Thank you...for everything." Her voice was whisper soft as they stared at each other. Joe bent his head slowly, taking her lips with his in a soft goodbye kiss. Tears flooded her eyes as he pulled away.

"You're welcome, Stephanie." Joe kissed her on the forehead lingering a little longer than normal. He turned quickly and left the apartment before she could see the tears in his eyes. Stephanie closed and locked the door before sadly walking into the bedroom. She wasn't sad about the relationship with Joe ending. She was sad that a relationship with Ranger would never happen. She was destined to be alone, but she knew she would have to live with that.

Joe left her apartment on a mission. He decided that he was going to tell a certain Cuban man just exactly what he's missing out on if he doesn't step up. He drove his car to RangeMan and parked in the front. He didn't really care that it was after ten o'clock at night. He knew someone would be manning the front desk and he knew that Ranger would see him regardless of the time. He walked into the building and approached the front desk. He recognized the man from one of Stephanie's many disasters. He tried to come up with a name, but for the life of him couldn't pull it out.

The man in black looked up with a blank face when Joe got to the desk. "I need to see Ranger." The man raised a brow but didn't say anything. He picked up a phone and dialed a number.

"Boss, this is Binkie at the front desk. Detective Morelli is here to see you." The man hung up the phone and pointed to the small sitting area close to the elevator. "Boss will be down soon. He asked you to wait." Joe nodded and silently sat in a comfortable chair to wait.

On the seventh floor of the building, Ranger hung up his phone and let out a long sigh. Morelli being in his building at this hour worried him. He hadn't seen much of his Babe since her and Joe had been on-again this time. He wanted to give them space to see if they could make their relationship work. She hadn't asked him to do it, but he was frustrated and didn't know what else to do.

Ranger loved Stephanie and it scared him. He didn't know how to act on those feelings because they had never happened to him before. He'd been with women in the past, but they were always one night stand and never meant anything to him. Even his first wife, the mother of his daughter was nothing more than a casual thing. He married her out of obligation, not love. He was happy being a bachelor and playboy until he met Stephanie. She changed his world and that terrified him more than being in wars.

That fear is why he guarded his heart. She held the power to crush him if he allowed her to.

That's the reason he kept her at arm's length. Everyone around him told Ranger that she had deep feelings for him, but he just didn't believe them. He saw that she respected him and liked him as a friend, but he never got the read on her that she wanted more. Even after that one night they spent together, she went back to Joe. He knows that it was his fault because he practically gift wrapped her for him, but she didn't put up much of a fight. She chose to go back to Joe time and time again. He wouldn't survive if he let her in and she then went back to Morelli.

The man of mystery let out a long sigh before picking up his cell phone and calling his second in command and best friend Tank. "Yo," Tank's standard greeting sounding in his ear.

"What's been going on with Stephanie?" Ranger used his no-nonsense voice. Tank was silent for a few minutes trying to determine how much to tell his friend. "Just tell me. Morelli is here to talk to me and I need to know why."

Tank let out a deep breath and told Ranger the heartbreaking news. "Word is Morelli proposed earlier. He was seen buying a ring and then presenting to her at Pino's earlier tonight." Ranger ended the call then ran his hand over his face. He decided that Morelli was downstairs to rub their impending wedding in his face. He grabbed his guns and went downstairs to face the truth.

Joe Morelli stood up out of the chair when Ranger stepped off the elevator. Joe observed Ranger's rigid stance and hard face. He was in full-fledged alpha-male mode tonight. Joe smirked to himself as he watched Ranger stalk to him.

"What can I do for you tonight, Morelli?" Ranger crossed his arms over his broad chest.

Joe didn't want to have this conversation in front of Ranger's man and the cameras that he knew were all over the lobby. "Can we speak in private?" Ranger stared intently at him for a moment before directing him into a nearby conference room. Joe watched Ranger send a text and then notice the camera above the door turned off.

Ranger was annoyed with Morelli and glared at him to get on with the conversation. Joe sensed the attitude and decided to just jump into the topic he came to discuss. "I proposed to Stephanie tonight."

Ranger's jaw clenched. "Congratulations." Ranger turned to leave the room but was stopped by Joe's voice.

"I never pegged you for a coward." Ranger turned slowly and glared into the other man's eyes. Joe wasn't intimidated and pressed on. "I'm curious. Are you so willing to walk away from her because you're scared or just incredibly stupid?" Ranger raised one eyebrow at Joe in command for him to continue.

Joe shook his head in disgust and decided to lay it all out on the line. "You don't deserve her and you're going to lose her if you keep up this shit so drop your eyebrow and open your ears because I've got some things to say." Ranger didn't like being spoken to like this but decided to humor the irate Italian man.

"You couldn't leave her alone. You had to drag her into alleys to kiss her. You had to encourage her to do this stupid job. You had to support her better than I can. You had to make her fall in love with you." Joe was yelling by the end of his speech but he didn't care. Ranger let Joe's words sink in but one phrase kept looping through his mind, 'in love with you'. He tried to keep his face blank, but he must have slipped because Joe's eye got wide in amazement.

"You didn't know?" Joe's voice was filled with the amazement that was in his eyes. Ranger shook his head and stared at the other man. "Then you're stupid. Anyone with half a brain can see the way she looks at you. I've known that for the past two years and I chose to ignore it. When I proposed to her earlier she had no intention of agreeing to marry me. She was actually going to end 'us' tonight. She's waiting for you."

The room was silent for several seconds before Ranger finally spoke. "Why are you telling me all of this?" Joe studied the man in front of him for a second.

"I don't hide the fact that I don't like you. I think you're dangerous and you have the potential to hurt Stephanie or get her killed. I think you're all wrong for her, but I can't deny the fact that she loves you and she would be happy with you. I could never make her happy like you can. She lives and breathes for you. I'm telling you all of this because she's important to me and I want her to be happy. I want her to have the life she deserves and if she thinks that's with you, then I'll support her and do whatever I can to make it happen." Joe fell silent again as Ranger absorbed everything he said.

Ranger couldn't believe what he was hearing. Joe had no reason to lie to him and Ranger knew how much it must have cost him to admit the things he did tonight. Ranger, in an uncommon show of weakness, ran his hand over his face. "What do you want from me Joe?"

"I want you to be honest with yourself and with her. If you honestly don't love her, then leave her alone. Leave the city or the country, whatever you have to do to give her time to get over you because it's going to crush her."

"You'd be there to comfort her. She'd be fine." Anger coursed through Joe's veins and he snapped.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You haven't heard a damn word I said tonight. SHE doesn't want ME. Even if you leave, which I have a feeling you're going to chicken out and run; even if that happens, she will NEVER love me like she does you. Stephanie and I will NEVER be together as anything other than friends. If she's not with you, then it will be some other lucky ass man. Maybe even one of your employees." Ranger's back straightened at that thought. "I see you don't like thinking about that but that's what is going to happen if you don't get your head out of your ass and get your girl. Man the fuck up and tell her how you feel."

Ranger was silent again and it was Joe's turn to be frustrated. "The choice is yours Ranger. She's alone right now and could probably use a friend. Go to her and tell her how you feel. You won't be disappointed." Joe walked out of the conference room leaving Ranger standing there in shock. Joe left RangeMan feeling a sense of absolution. He did everything he could think of to make Ranger see reason. It was up to the man to finish it.

Ranger collapsed into a nearby chair after Morelli left. He heard everything that Joe had said and knew what he needed to do. He had to see his Babe and tell her what was in his heart. He had to take a risk because she meant too much to him. As he stood up to leave, his phone chirped and he hung his head reading the message. He was called for a mission and he was due to leave in just four hours.

He called his handler and spoke with him briefly about what the mission entailed. He and four of his men were headed to Columbia to take out a drug czar. The mission didn't sound complicated or very dangerous and it would only take around one month to complete. Questions swirled in Ranger's mind. Did he go to his Babe that night and tell her how he feels or does he wait until he got back? Making that decision was one of the reasons Ranger didn't do relationships. His life was just too damn complicated!

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A/N - You know the drill. Please review and let me know what you thought. Good, bad or ugly...I don't care. I read them all!


	2. Man or Chicken?

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

WoW! Thank you all so much for your reviews! I tried to respond to each of them, but if I missed you then I am deeply sorry. It was not intentional and I hopefully won't do it again!

Thank you to my beta, Potterwench. Without her, you all would be reading dribble that didn't make any sense!

Now...on to the chapter! Does Ranger man up or chicken out?

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******Chapter 2 - Man or Chicken?**

The minute Joe left Stephanie's apartment, she immediately stripped her clothes off and pulled on one of Ranger's black T-shirts. She cleaned her face of make-up, crawled into bed and let the tears fall. She was exhausted but she knew sleep wasn't going to come that night. Too many thoughts were swirling in her head and she couldn't turn them off.

Ranger was first and foremost in her mind. Stephanie knew that she needed to come to terms with the fact that he would never be hers. She needed to face it and move on. Being in limbo hurt too much, she didn't want to torture herself unnecessarily but she also knew seeing him every day and not being able to get close to him would hurt too. Maybe leaving was the way to go. But Could she do that? Could she leave Trenton?

Her tears had stopped falling, but she laid awake for what seemed like hours making plans in her mind to leave Trenton. There was nothing really tying her there, just family, friends, and her job. She wondered if she would be able to leave all that behind. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the locks tumble on her front door. She wasn't aware someone was even in her apartment until he spoke from her bedroom doorway.

"Babe." Hearing that word made the tears flow from her eyes once again. Her back was turned to him and she didn't bother rolling over. She tried to stop crying. She hated crying, especially in front of him. She hated appearing weak. She felt the bed dip from his weight and let out a long sigh. She knew she was going to have to talk to him.

"What are you doing here, Ranger? It's late." Stephanie honestly couldn't stop the bitterness from creeping into her voice. Ranger sat staring at her back and he began to have second thoughts for being there.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving in a few hours. Call Tank if you need anything." Stephanie let out a sob and buried her head in her pillow. She felt the bed move when he stood and she knew she needed to say something to him.

Her voice was weak and full of emotion when she spoke. "Please don't get shot." Ranger almost didn't hear her words but when they finally registered in his brain, they broke his heart. He was back by her bed in two strides and he pulled her into his arms. He let her cry into his shoulder while he stroked her back and whispered Spanish words of love into her ear to help calm her down. When the sobs turned to hiccups she pulled her splotchy face back to look at him. She was expecting to see his patented 'blank' face, but what she saw stopped her breath.

Ranger's face wasn't blank. It was full of emotion and there was even a tear track on his handsome cheek. He bent his head down slowly, giving Stephanie time to back away, and placed his lips lightly onto hers. The kiss was short but full of love that made both of their hearts swell.

After several silent minutes of just staring into each other's eyes, Ranger spoke softly. "Why are you so upset Babe? I've gone away before and you haven't been this sad." He kissed her on the nose and she closed her eyes at the feelings coursing through her.

In Stephanie's mind, a war was raging. She had just broken up with Joe so she shouldn't be actively thinking about starting ANYTHING with Ranger, but her heart was screaming to tell him the truth about her feelings, to lay everything out on the line and come clean. She also knew that once she told him, he would turn her away and she could use the time he's away to leave Trenton without him following her.

Stephanie took a deep breath ready to spill her guts to the man she loved more than anything. "I'm always this sad when you leave; I just usually wait until you're gone to break down. When you're gone, a part of me is missing and I feel incomplete." Ranger squeezed her tighter in his arms in a show of support and understanding. He felt the exact same way about her. "Tonight, you just caught me at a bad time. I was already a little depressed because of what happened between Joe and me earlier." She stopped to gaze into his eyes.

"What happened between you and Joe?" Ranger whispered the question. He knew the answer already, but he wasn't going to let her in on his and Morelli's conversation.

"He proposed, sort of, and then we decided to end us." Ranger watched as a small smile formed on her beautiful face. He could tell that she felt free from that relationship. Ranger now had two options, he could tell her everything then hope and pray that she felt the same way OR he could give her a gentle push to spill her guts to him. He could be brave or be a coward, what should he do? Morelli's words from earlier screamed at him. They were too loud to ignore.

Time to man up, Manoso! "I'm glad you ended it with Morelli, Babe." She looked up into his eyes and furrowed her brow. She couldn't understand why he would be happy about that. He'd pushed her to Joe many times so she was confused about his statement. Ranger saw her confusion and ran his rough finger between her eyes to smooth the skin there. "I'm happy about it because I want you for myself. I've been so stupid Babe and I came here tonight to tell you the truth." Ranger scooted back and rested against the headboard of the bed. He pulled Stephanie up into his arms so that she straddled his waist. He wanted to see her eyes as he confessed his feelings.

He waited too long to continue so Stephanie whispered a question to encourage him to continue. "What's the truth, Ranger?"

Ranger looked into her beautiful blue eyes and said the three words that he had never said to another woman that wasn't family. "I love you." He heard her suck in a breath and her eyes got wide. Without skipping a beat, he continued his confession. "I've loved you for so long and I want to be with you. No qualifiers, no limitations. I want you...all of you. Do you want me Babe?" Stephanie started to answer but Ranger silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"Let me finish first and then you can answer." Stephanie kissed the finger pressed to her lips and nodded. Ranger smiled brightly at her. "Being with me isn't going to be easy and I want you to understand fully before answering. My job is dangerous, both with the government and at RangeMan. I have enemies that would love to hurt you to get to me. I'm going to need you to take some precautions to lessen the risk of that happening."

Stephanie could tell by the look in his eyes that Ranger was dead set on her following whatever rules and regulations he put out there. She also knew that she would do anything for this man, so she wasn't too worried.

"I need you to train with the guys. Learn some takedown techniques, and some self-defense moves. Get better at shooting your gun and always carry it with you. Learn to be more aware of what's going on around you. You are the most important person in my life, Baby, and I cannot lose you. I need to know that you're safe at all times or I might go insane." Stephanie's eyes filled with tears hearing the emotion in his voice.

When Ranger didn't continue, Stephanie decided to ask a question in a scratchy whisper. "Is there anything else?" She gave him a small smile and stroked his face. She watched as he closed his eyes and almost purred at the touch.

"You'll need to understand that I can't always tell you where I'm going and I can't always share everything about my past. What I can share with you, I plan on telling you. I want you to hear my childhood stories and I want to tell you things that no one else knows, just like I want to hear those things from you." Another tear fell, her dreams were coming true that night and there was no chance to stop the tears.

"If there's a threat against you, you're going to have to understand that everything I do...I do it because of you. I do it to protect you because like I said before, I can't lose you. I know you don't like doing things that you're told to do, so I promise to talk to you and let you in on the decision-making process. Does any of that sound unreasonable or undoable to you?" Once Ranger was done talking, uncertainty flooded his body. The moment had finally come. He laid it all out for her and now all he had to do was wait for her answer. She was either going to shatter him or make him the happiest man alive.

Stephanie thought a few seconds about everything he had said. Nothing sounded unreasonable. She knew she needed the extra training. It would make doing her job easier and would keep her safe. She was tired of being the laughing stock of the town. She also wanted to know more about him and she even had some tidbits of her life that she had tucked away to share with him. As for the procedures she would have to follow during a threat, as long as he included her in the decision-making, then she didn't have a problem.

By the time Stephanie looked back up at his face, she realized that she had been quiet too long. The look of love and adoration was gone from his face and in its place was hurt and fear. He looked away and made the move to get up off the bed but she forced him back and took his face in her hands.

"Please let me go, Stephanie. I understand, but I need to get out of here." Her heart hurt hearing the disappointment and sadness in his words. She had to make him better. She had to tell him the truth.

"I'm never letting you go because I wouldn't survive without you. I've loved you for so long, Ranger, and now that you're ready to give us a chance; there's no way in hell I'm letting you go." A smile broke out on his face hearing her words. She loved him!

"So you're with me, Babe? You want this as much as I do?" Instead of answering his question with words, Stephanie decided to use her lips in a more enjoyable fashion. He let her control the kiss and moaned when she sucked his bottom lip in between her teeth. They broke apart when breathing became mandatory.

Ranger stroked her hair away from her face and wiped off a stray tear or two that escaped from her eyes. "I'm sorry that I'm doing this at such a bad time, Babe. I hate to admit to all of this and then leave you for a few months." Stephanie sobered as she remembered the reason he came to her apartment tonight in the first place.

"I'm not sorry you did this now. I'll be here waiting for you when you get back. And you WILL come back to me, right?" Ranger nodded as he brought his lips to her once again. Desire swelled between them and Stephanie felt the object of his desire throbbing between her legs. There was only one more question on her mind. "What time do you have to leave?"

Ranger glanced at his watch and made a face. "I need to be back at Haywood in two hours. I already told the guys going with me to be ready so all I have to do is grab my bag off seven and meet the chopper on the roof." Stephanie nodded and ground her core into his erection getting a hiss in return for her actions.

"That's not enough time to do everything I want to do to you, but it will have to do for now." Stephanie purred into Ranger's ear before nibbling the lobe and sucking it into her hot mouth.

**~#~ Smut Warning ~#~**

The half-groan, half-growl that escaped Ranger's throat made Stephanie giggle. In a split second, the T-shirt was ripped off her body and she was flat on her back with a horny Cuban on top of her. Her panties were torn away the next second and his pants were gone soon after. Nothing stood between them any longer. They were finally together and free to love like normal people did. There was no guilt or fears. Only love. Ranger looked deep into her eyes. He placed a gentle kiss on her nose and then on her lips. His cock was poised at her entrance. "I love you, Babe." He whispered the words as he slid to his home inside her.

He paused, letting her adjust to him again. It had been too long since he'd been inside her and the feeling was almost too much for him so the pause allowed him to gain some control back, too. When she had enough waiting, Stephanie wrapped her legs around his waist and began moving for them. Ranger closed his eyes and relished the feeling of her taking control. The movement stopped and Stephanie's small voice penetrated his lust filled brain. "I love you, Carlos."

Ranger had never been called anything other than his street name in years. And never by a woman he was currently having sex with. He looked down at his beautiful woman and had never felt more complete. He needed to hear it again. "Say it again, Babe."

Stephanie smiled coyly up at him. "Which part? The 'I love you' or the Carlos? Because if it's the latter...then I would rather scream it!" Ranger growled as he attacked her lips with his. His hand massaged her breasts as he began to move inside her. He started slowly, letting the pressure and desire build. His hand not occupied by her perfect breasts moved down to tease her swollen clit. Stephanie tore her mouth away from his and let out a hiss that only encouraged him to continue.

His movements sped up and his hand at her massaged her in time with this thrusts. His ministrations were driving her wild and all she could do was lay there and pant or moan. He occasionally tore a groan or a hiss from her. When she wanted to return the favor, she would scrape her nails down his chest and over his taught nipples. She saw that it drove him crazy so she continued.

After what felt like hours, Ranger tilted her hips so that his cock would brush against the bundle of nerves inside her. "Are you ready to scream my name Baby?" Stephanie couldn't answer so she just nodded frantically. She was lost in the feelings.

The tingling started in her toes and quickly moved up her legs. It curled in her stomach and then traveled up her chest. "Carlos...I'm going to..." She couldn't finish because her orgasm burst through sending her spiraling over the edge. Lights flashed around her as she screamed his name through her release. She barely heard him yell her name, but felt him releasing his seed deep inside her.

He continued to stroke as they both came down from their climax. Ranger collapsed on top of her briefly before rolling onto his back and taking her with him. Stephanie snuggled into his side with her head resting over his heart. The beating she heard was frantic and made her smile. Her's was just as bad at that moment.

**~#~ End Smut Warning ~#~**

They continued to hold each other in the darkened room. Neither spoke because words were not necessary. When the alarm on Ranger's watch sounded, both gripped the other tighter, not wanting to let go, but they knew that they had to. Ranger kissed her head and turned onto his side to look at her one last time. "Call Tank if you need something. Les, Junior, Hector and Zip are going with me but there are plenty of guys here to help you. Promise me that you'll be safe while I'm gone." Ranger was pleading and for once in his life, he didn't care.

"I promise I'll be safe. I'm going to go first thing in the morning and talk to Tank about training me. Do you think he'll be too busy?" The smile generated from her words could have lit up all of New York.

"He's not too busy. I'll give him a heads up. I'm so proud of you, Babe." It was Stephanie's turn to smile brightly. She never got tired of hearing that phrase. Just knowing that Ranger was proud of her made her day. Hell...it made her year! "I love you, Stephanie Plum."

"I love you too and when you get back, we're going to announce it to the world that we love each other."

Ranger looked intently at her and then bent to whisper in her ear. "I'm announcing it now that I love you."

Stephanie looked at him puzzled. "Why did you whisper it to me like that?"

Without missing a beat, Ranger responded, "Because, Stephanie...you are my world." Stephanie's eyes filled with tears as he kissed her one last time before climbing out of bed.

She watched him redress and gather all of his gear. He looked down at her lying naked in the bed. He memorized how she looked right now because it was going to have to satisfy him until he came back. When the image was seared into his brain, he bent and kissed her again. "Don't go crazy, Babe."

Stephanie smiled and did her normal response. "Don't get shot, Batman." Ranger smiled and walked out her bedroom door. Stephanie waited until she heard the locks on her front door close signaling he was gone to break down. She sent a prayer up to God asking him to return Ranger back to her. Now that she had finally gotten him, she wasn't prepared to let him go.

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A/N - Okay...keep those reviews coming! I love and read every single one of them! Let me know what you thought of Ranger finally manning up!


	3. Start Spreading the News

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you to my amazing beta and Lou, Potterwench. Even when your life is hard, you still have time to help me with my craziness! Love ya girl!

I am blown away by your reviews! They do my wounded heart well so keep them coming. Now...without further ado, on with the story!

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**Chapter 3 - Start Spreading the News**

Ranger returned to RangeMan in just enough time to grab his duffel from his seventh floor apartment and walk with his team up to the roof. The chopper was landing when they walked through the door so Ranger knew his time was limited. He needed to ask his second in command a favor before he left, though.

Ranger motioned Tank over to the side of the building, away from the other men. "Stephanie's going to come and talk to you later today about training. Anything she needs, see that's it's done." Tank's eyes widened at his bosses words.

"She's serious?" Ranger nodded and Tank's smile grew. "The only thing that would make her serious about training is you finally getting your head out of your ass and telling her how you feel. Is that where you were earlier?"

Tank caught the faint eye roll from the man in front of him. "That's exactly where I was and we're on the same page now. I love her, she loves me." The big man was happy for his friend and his smile reflected that happiness. He knew what was coming next and it didn't need to be said. "Take care of her, Tank. I just got her and I can't imagine my life without her."

"I'll watch out for your girl. I'll handle her training personally and by the time you get back, you won't recognize her." Ranger smiled and looked to the chopper waiting on him. He nodded to his friend and took off at a run toward the waiting helicopter. Tank waited until the helicopter was out of sight before heading back down to his office.

Hearing that Stephanie was coming in for training had made his day. The entire company had been waiting for her to take her safety seriously and to get the necessary training to do her job better. They were all fascinated with the blue-eyed beauty and each man loved her, probably more than they should. They would do anything to protect her and anything to help her. Tank knew that any man there would be happy to help train her.

Since it was still early, and he didn't expect Stephanie to come into the office until much later, Tank decided to call a meeting to ask the other guys their opinions on what she might need. Tank sent a company wide text and went to the conference room to wait.

At exactly 0700, every RangeMan who was left in Trenton was sitting in the conference room. Tank stood at the head of the table and called the meeting to order. "Men. I'm pleased to announce that last night our boss finally manned up and got his girl." The room erupted in cheers. Tank held up his hand to silence the crowd and continued. "Along with Ranger finally telling Stephanie the truth about how he feels, he also got her to agree to get training." Again the room erupted in cheers. They really did love Stephanie and only wanted her to be safe.

"Little Girl will be in later today to talk to me and I wanted to get your opinions about what she needs and what all of you can do to help." Tank motioned to Bobby, who was sitting beside him. "Can you handle the diet and exercise, Brown?"

Bobby smiled wide and nodded. Everyone knew of Stephanie's love for the sweet things in life. He was going to take pleasure limiting her sugar intake and the amount of fat she eats. "I'll take care of it. I've actually had a sample diet planned out for her for months. I knew this day was coming eventually. I've even already talked to Ella about making some sugar-free desserts to pacify Bomber. The exercise is going to be more difficult, but I can hopefully get her here most mornings to work on her endurance and her strength training." Tank smiled and nodded. He then turned to Ram, the company range master and an ex-sniper from the Rangers.

"What do you have planned for our girl on the range?" Ram smiled and got a twinkle in his eyes. He loved teaching people how to love their guns and he was looking forward to getting his hands on Stephanie Plum.

"I think if I make shooting fun for her, then she'll be more likely to do it and enjoy it. We all know that Stephanie hates her weapon and refuses to learn how to handle it properly in the past." Ram turned toward Bobby. "If you're arranging for her sweets, why don't we make getting to eat them a reward for doing well in the shooting range. We'll make a game of it."

The guys around the table all smiled in agreement to Ram's plans. "That sounds good. You'll be in charge of her range time. I want her using more than just the .38 she has. Pick her up a Glock 19 to carry also," Tank instructed and Ram nodded. Tank then turned his attention to the smallest man in the room. "Woody, with Hector gone, you're the one closest to Little Girls size. Can you teach her take-down techniques? I'll handle her self-defense training but I'll need you as her partner on that too. Are you cool with that?"

Woody smiled brightly at Tank's question. "I can't wait to get my hands on her." Tank glared at the tone of Woody's voice. "Not like that, man. I mean I can't wait to get her comfortable in taking people down the correct way. I want her to be able to work without getting injured."

Tank relaxed slightly and looked around the room again. "Anyone else have anything they want to teach her?" He knew that every man here had skills that she would benefit from, but he didn't want to overwhelm her right off the bat.

It was Zero's turn to smile and offer his suggestion. "I think she needs to learn basic B & E. If she's ever captured again, then she could get out. I can teach her how to pick lock. We'll start with her apartment." The room erupted in laughter because Stephanie was the only person in Trenton not able to break into her apartment.

"I'll add that to the schedule. Cal, why don't you take her on the defensive driving course a couple of times? I don't think she'll need many lessons there since she's been driving the New Jersey Turnpike for years." Cal nodded and got an evil look on his face. He loved the driving course and couldn't wait to take his Angel there. "All right, if anyone has anything else, let me know. Ranger and the rest of the guys will be back in a couple of months and I want her more confident and stronger by that time." The guys in the room shouted in agreement and left to start their shifts.

Tank was sitting in his office later in the morning working on paperwork, when Stephanie walked in smiling brightly. Tank saw the happiness oozing out of her and it made him smile. "What can I do for you Little Girl?"

Stephanie sat in the chair in front of his desk got down to business. "Did Ranger talk to you before he left?" Tank smiled and nodded to her. "Then you know that I am in need of some training!"

"I've already got a schedule worked out for you and I've talked to the guys. Bobby will talk to you today about your diet and exercise plan. Ram will be in charge of your range time and Woody and I will be in charge of self-defense and take-down techniques. Zero wants to teach you some B & E and Cal will take you on the driving course. Any questions?"

Stephanie thought for a second then shook her head. "I think you guys have it all covered. I'm not looking forward to the diet and exercise, but they're necessary evils. I promised Ranger that I would train and I intend to keep that promise. I don't want to disappoint him."

Tank's booming laughter filled the small office. "There's no way you can disappoint that man. He's got it bad, Stephanie." A smile broke out on her face. "Are you working here today or are you headed to Vinnie's?" Tank was curious if Ranger had asked her to work for RangeMan full-time or not. The core team had discussed it and they were all for it. They knew she would make an excellent addition to the team.

"Well, here's the thing." Tank could tell that Stephanie was hesitant to talk. He was just about to say something to encourage her when she squared her shoulders and said, "I want to work here full-time. I decided before Ranger and I...well, before we..."

Tank put her out of her misery. "Before you both pulled your heads out of your asses." Stephanie laughed at Tank's words.

"I guess you could put it that way. Before last night, I decided that I needed to get better at my job. I'm tired of being the same stupid bumbling bounty hunter." Tank glared at her at the stupid remark, but Stephanie ignored it and kept on talking. "I want to get better, not just for Ranger, but for me too. I need training and I need to be here to get it and It's not fair to Vinnie to leave him high and dry."

"I agree totally with you, Little Girl. How about we handle all of Vinnie's skips from the office? That way you can still work your regulars along with a partner and if you're busy, we'll send some of the guys to pick them up." Tank hoped his suggestion worked for her. He wanted her to keep bounty hunting, but he wanted her protected.

"Really? You guys would do that for Vinnie?" Stephanie's voice was full of awe.

Tank chuckled and shook his head. "Hell no we wouldn't do that for the weasel, but we're doing it for you, Stephanie." He watched her eyes fill with tears and in a second she was around his desk hugging him tightly to her. Tank was shocked at first. He had never been a touchy-feely person, but there was something about having her body pressed tightly into his that just felt right.

Stephanie pulled away after a few minutes and wiped the stray tear from her eye before speaking again. "I think I'm going to run to Vinnie's and let him know the plan. I also need to talk to Lula and Connie. They're not going to be too happy with me about this."

Tank grimaced because he knew just how 'not happy' Lula was going to be. When the two of them were dating, Lula would constantly warn Tank not to take her 'skinny ass white girl' from her. Tank knew that Lula was going to put up a fight and decided that Stephanie could use some back-up. "Take Hal with you. He's not busy right now and you need to get used to having a partner with you." Stephanie rolled her eyes. She saw Tank's grimace and knew that he thought she needed protection from her large friend. "I think I'm safe from Lula, but I'll take Hal with me. I'll pick up the files while I'm there."

Stephanie walked out of Tank's office and found Hal sitting in his cubicle, bored out of his mind. His head was tipped back and he was staring at the ceiling. Steph knew she was about to make his day. "Hal, you're with me and we're headed to the bonds office." Hal's eyes lit up and a smile broke across his face. He was bored stiff sitting at the office and he knew spending time with Stephanie was better than anything going on here. He also got to see Connie at the office. He liked that feisty woman but didn't quite know how to approach her. She's outspoken and isn't one to hold her tongue and Hal didn't want to be hurt by her.

Hal and Stephanie rode the elevator to the garage. Hal helped Stephanie into the large SUV before climbing into the driver's side. As they were driving to the bonds office, Hal decided to say some things to the woman sitting beside him. "You know Steph, I'm really glad that you and Ranger finally got your shit together. We've all seen the way you two look at each other so we knew it was just a matter of time. I'm also glad that you've decide to let us train you. We all know that you have massive amounts of potential and now that you're getting trained, you can fine tune that potential and be unstoppable."

Stephanie smiled sweetly at Hal. "Thanks Hal. I'm hoping you guys can make me better. I really want to be good at my job." Stephanie really did want to be a better bounty hunter and knew the guys could get her where she wanted to be. Suddenly, insecure Stephanie made an appearance and she began to doubt herself. "Do you think this is going to be hard for me, Hal? I mean all the training. Can you see me finishing it?"

Hal raised an eyebrow and looked at her as they were stopped at a light. "I don't see you just finishing this, Bomber. I see you blowing this training out of the water! I think it might be hard at first, but trust in us and trust in yourself. We won't let you fail!" Stephanie immediately felt better at Hal's words and she squeezed his hand in a silent 'thanks'.

The rest of the drive to the office was silent. When Hal parked the SUV, Stephanie giggled at the sight waiting for her. Lula and Connie had their noses pressed to the front window. Stephanie wasn't sure which one they were more excited about. Finding out the truth about what happened between her and Morelli or finding out which RangeMan was gracing them with their presence today. With Connie, Stephanie guessed it was more about which RangeMan she was getting to ogle. Connie liked to look at the attractive men, especially the one joining Stephanie today.

Hal and Stephanie walked into the office together and smiled at the two women practically bouncing in anticipation. Lula wasted no time starting the inquisition. "Skinny-ass white-girl, what's this we're hearing about that fine-ass cop proposing to you? Let me see the ring!" Lula grabbed Stephanie's hand and then dropped her jaw when she didn't see the object on her finger.

Stephanie rolled her eyes at her enthusiastic friend. She was surprised that the Burg-vine failed to tell the whole story of what happened the previous night at Pino's between her and Joe. She knew her friends were going to be shocked at what she had to tell them. "Joe did propose, kind of, but then we decided to end our pseudo-relationship and just be friends."

Connie and Lula looked at her with incredulous looks. "What do you mean, you broke up with him? He's hot and he loves you. Why did you kick super-cop to the curb?" Connie's voice was shrill as she questioned Stephanie.

"I know he loves me, and I love him; but it's not enough for us. He wants me to be something that I'm not and I'm not willing to change for him. We'll always be friends, but we've both moved on." Stephanie shrugged and continued talking. "My relationship with Joe isn't why I'm here this morning. I have something to tell you."

Lula interrupted before Stephanie could say anything else. "Nu-uh! You best be telling us why you glowing like you had some hot sex if you and super-cop broke up. Did he give you one more roll in the sheets before leaving or did you finally get Batman in your bed?" Hal blushed sitting on the couch beside Stephanie. He was shy around women anyway but was even more so when sex was the topic being discussed. Connie noticed his blush and smiled. "Yeah Steph, I've never seen you look THAT happy after a night with Joe. Tell us! Just **who** put that smile on your face?" Connie chuckled as Hal's blush darkened.

Stephanie rolled her eyes again at her friends and smiled remembering the reason for her smile. "Not that I'm willing to discuss my sex life with you two, but Ranger stopped by my apartment before he left to go 'in the wind'. We decided to give a relationship a chance between the two of us." Stephanie didn't say what she and Ranger did, but she thought her friends could use their imaginations.

"'Bout damn time!" Lula shouted at the same time Connie yelled, "Congratulations!" The girls continued firing personal questions at Stephanie of which she had no intention to answer. Hal sat beside her, laughing at her obvious discomfort. Stephanie leaned into him to whisper in his ear, "Keep it up Chuckles and I'll let it slip to Connie just how much you like her." Hal stopped laughing immediately and turned his wide eyes toward Stephanie. His look of fear made Stephanie laugh out loud. Her two friends stopped the questions when they heard her laugh.

"I'm sorry guys! Hal and I were having a little conversation. Now, back to your questions that I'm not going to answer, I plead the fifth. You guys don't need to know that much information about what I do with Ranger. Hal and I came here to get the files and let you know that I'm going to be working for RangeMan full-time now."

Stephanie could tell that Lula was approaching rhino mode in 5, 4, 3, 2..."What the hell you mean you're working for RangeMan? What about us? You ain't gonna have no time to see us! And what am I gonna do? You ain't gonna need me to help you so I'm gonna be stuck here filing! Who wants to file?" Lula's hands were on her hips and she was screaming at Stephanie and Hal.

"I'll still come by and just because I have a RangeMan partner, doesn't mean that I won't need your help. You can still go out with me sometimes." Stephanie's words seemed to pacify her large friend. Connie, on the other hand, still didn't look happy. "What about your files? Who's taking care of them? Vinnie's going to hire someone if you go work full-time with Ranger."

"Tank said RangeMan would take care of all the files. I'll have him call Vinnie later to work out all of the details." At that, Vinnie opened the door to his inner office and stalked out to put his two cents into the conversation. "What the hell Stephanie? I gave you this job because you needed it and now you're just going to leave me high and dry?" Stephanie looked at Hal and rolled her eyes.

"First, you didn't GIVE me this job; I had to BLACKMAIL you for it. Second, I'm not leaving you high and dry! RangeMan will be picking up my files so you should be happy because they ALWAYS get their man!" Stephanie was annoyed and her voice rose in volume as she spoke to her slimy cousin. "If you have a problem with this arrangement, then why don't you call Tank and talk to him?" She knew that Vinnie would never call Tank and complain. Vinnie was scared of the men in black, especially the boss. "Or better yet, why don't you wait until Ranger comes back and talk to him? I'm sure he'd love to sit and have a conversation with you." Stephanie smirked as Vinnie paled and his eyes got wide.

With a huff, Vinnie turned back into his office and slammed the door. Stephanie giggled to herself before focusing her attention back to Connie. "So now that you both know everything, can I have the files? Hal and I need to get back to RangeMan. My training starts tomorrow and I want to spend today relaxing before that happens." Stephanie saw Connie checking out her couch companion and had an idea.

"Hey, why don't we plan on going out tonight? We can go to Pino's for dinner and then out dancing for a bit. Tonight is my last night of freedom. I'll invite the guys to come too." Connie smiled at Hal, who blushed in response.

"I'm always up for a night out. Count me in." Lula bounced excitedly in her tight spandex outfit, testing the strength of the seams. "Are you going to be there, Hal?" Connie asked from behind her desk. Hal looked at Stephanie with a panicked look in his eye before he nodded quickly. Connie smiled sweetly at his nod. "Then I'll be there too."

"It sounds like we've got a plan! I'll go back and talk to the guys and text you all with the information." The girls nodded and Connie handed Stephanie a stack of files from her desk. When she had everything she needed, Stephanie turned to Hal and motioned him out the door. When they were tucked back into the SUV, Stephanie decided to approach Hal about Connie. "You know, Hal, Connie is a great girl. I think you two would make a great couple! She obviously likes you and I know you like her." Hal blushed and focused his attention back to the road. Stephanie smiled and turned to look out the window. She would leave it alone, for now. Tonight, however, was a whole different story.

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A/N - Alright...keep the reviews coming! Good, bad or ugly...I don't care. We'll hear from Ranger and the other guys in the next chapter.


	4. I'm Leaving Today

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all for the reviews and fav/follows. I apologize if I missed responding to your review, but I honestly LOVE reading what you all think about each chapter. Please keep them coming.

This improved chapter is brought to you by my amazing beta, Potterwench. She takes my ramblings and makes them readable. I owe her a lot!

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**Chapter 4 - I'm Leaving Today**

At an Army Base located in Texas, five men sat shooting the shit. They had a few hours to kill before the plane taking them to Columbia was scheduled to pick them up, so they were enjoying a little free time. The briefings were all completed and the Intel all gathered before they got there. Each man knew what his function was in the mission that they were tasked with carrying out.

Hector is the shadow. He can get in and out of places that most people couldn't. Being the smallest RangeMan isn't the only reason he's able to accomplish this. He's crafty and blends into his surroundings. He's also extremely deadly. He prefers knives to anything else, but don't let his lack of a weapon fool you. He's just as deadly un-armed as he is armed. The skills that he has were needed to a young kid growing up on the streets and to a teenager who pledged his life to a gang. Hector's job was to have Ranger's back without anyone seeing him.

Lester is the playboy. His light-hearted personality and flirtatious attitude is useful to get women to spill their guts to him. Even women who have been trained to keep their mouths shut spill their secrets only after a short amount of time with him. He produces a sense of trust instantly with anyone he meets and makes it easy for them to talk to him. He's using his talents in this mission to get the target's schedule out of one of his many girlfriends. Ranger has a list of all the man's acquaintances and its Les' assignment to get them to talk. Les knows that it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

Zip is the sniper of the group. He is young, but very good with his rifle. Zip was trained by Ram who just happens to be the best sniper in the world. Ram's got countless number of awards to prove that fact too. Ranger would have brought his best, but this job required Latino men in order for each of them to blend into the environment. Since Ram is clearly of Irish decent, he had to settle for the second best and bring Zip. Zip's job is to be the spotter. He will be nowhere near the actual compound, but will stay hidden and see everything through his scope. His orders are to shoot to kill anyone posing a threat to the team.

Junior is the data expert and communications guy. He has all the Intel and will be constantly checking and rechecking its accuracy. He'll be the one in contact with all of the informants and he will be the one holding all the important information. It is his job to know every detail about all the players in the game. Junior be stationed close to Zip in the com vehicle recording and listening to everything going on inside the compound. He's also in charge of getting everyone out of there when the time comes.

Ranger is the leader, the commander. He will be the one to dispose of the drug lord when the time comes. He could just as easy order one of his men to do the final deed but would never ask one of his teammates to do the dirty work. He knows this job is necessary to keep the quiet village people safe and he's more than willing to add another dark spot on his soul for the good of those involved. He didn't like killing people, but knew that sometimes it must be done. Ranger remembers the quote by Albert Einstein that says, _"The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." _Ranger is one of the few that has no problem doing something about the evil.

The evil they were sent to dispose of is a fifty-seven year old drug lord by the name of Miguel Sanchez. The people in the village he lives close to and his workers are forced to call him Jefe, which means boss or leader in Spanish. Jefe is an evil man who uses and abuses the villagers to work in his cocoa fields and in his compound to make his cocaine. He will kidnap and hold hostage the children in the area so that their parents work for him without complaints. When the parents become ill or injured and can't work, he'll kill them along with their children. He is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of people from the surrounding villages and even more people die, all over the world, from using his drugs. The Columbian government wants him dead along with the American government, so Ranger's team has been asked to make that happen.

The guys all sat inside the recreation tent talking about nothing substantial until Lester gathered up his bravery to ask the question plaguing all of their minds. "So, Bossman, word in the office is you didn't come back to Haywood right away after visiting Bombshell. Want to tell us what's up?" Ranger glared at Les with narrowed eyes. He never talked about his personal life and the men that worked for him knew that. The smirk on Les face told Ranger that he wasn't going to give up anytime soon though.

"Not that it's any of your business, Santos, but I spent my last few hours last night with Stephanie." Les smirked again and threw knowing glances to the other guys around the table with them. "Spent meaning what? Slept? Fucked? Cuddled? Give us some more info!" Les knew he was walking on thin ice, but he couldn't help it. Ranger growled and sent a look to Lester that would make a normal man piss himself.

"Drop it, Santos. Stephanie and I are together and I plan on us staying that way for a very long time. Let's focus on this mission so I can get back to her." The guys cheered hearing their boss and friend finally admit that he and Stephanie were together. They all knew the feelings that he had locked deep inside himself for her.

"It's about damn time, Ranger. Bomber's loved you for quite some time. I know you two are going to be happy together!" Junior slapped Ranger on the back and smiled at him. "Does that mean she's going to work full time with us? It's always fun with Beautiful around." Les bounced in his seat thinking about all the fun things he and his best friend could do together to cause chaos at the office. She was just as mischievous as he was and when they're together, you knew that it was going to be a good time.

Ranger smiled, slightly, thinking about having his Babe working with him in his company. They hadn't talked about her working for him full-time, but he wanted her to. He wanted her presence in every aspect of his life. He wanted to be beside her every day. Ranger decided to talk to her as soon as he got back to see if she'd become a permanent fixture at RangeMan. Ranger also decided to fill the guys in on Stephanie's decision to get trained. He knew that they would all be proud of her.

"We didn't discuss her working at the office, but I'm sure I can convince her to when I get back. She did agree to let Tank and the guys train her while we're gone." The four men around the table looked at their boss shocked. Hector asked in Spanish, "Trained as in with a gun and self-defense? Angelita is going to diet and exercise?"

Ranger chuckled and shook his head. Everyone knew Stephanie's displeasure at even the thought of exercise and her love of all things sugar. Diet and exercise were going to be the two biggest challenges for his Babe and he knew it. "She was going to talk to Tank today about it. By the time we get back, she's going to be a whole different woman." Ranger shook his head thinking about her.

Dios, he couldn't believe that they had done it. They finally admitted their feelings and started a relationship. That word used to terrify him. He thought he never wanted a relationship with any woman. Even Rachel was just a one-fuck that got screwed up. He married her for Julie's sake, but he never loved her and she never loved him. They never even said the 'L' word to each other. He's only said it to one woman, his Babe.

Ranger couldn't wait to get back home to her. The few hours they got to spend together as an official couple did nothing to satisfy his hunger for her. It actually just made it worse. He could still smell her scent on his body. He could still feel her fingers scrape down his chest and still hear her whimpers and moans. Ranger felt himself get hard thinking about her soft body under his. Ranger must have groaned because the table got quiet and the guys all looked at him.

"Damn, Boss. You must be reliving some damn good memories!" Lester chuckled and stared at the big man. "I'm just sad that I have to be here with you losers instead of back at RangeMan getting to put my hands all over Beautiful's luscious body." Ranger growled and was about to say something, but Hector beat him to it.

"You will not speak about her like that. She belongs to Ranger and you WILL respect that. Got it?" Hector's words were hard and Les knew he meant business. There was one thing everyone at RangeMan knew and it was that you didn't want to piss off Hector. He might be the smallest man in the company, but he was also the most feared.

Les swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded his head in answer to Hector's question. Hector smiled when he realized Les would do as he had instructed. Hector meant his words. No one was to disrespect his Angelita now. The jokes and the betting would stop the second he returned to Trenton. He would make damn sure of it.

Junior, trying to lighten the tense mood asked, "So when's the wedding? We all heard about the ring you had made. Are you finally going to give it to her?" The attention turned back toward Ranger, as he smirked and thought about that ring.

He was in Greece unwinding after a stressful mission, when he passed a small jewelry shop while walking one evening. The sign in their window said that they specialized in custom engagement rings so he decided to go inside. After speaking with the owner for five minutes, he knew that he wanted to have a ring made. At the time, he was sure that he would never get to give it to his Babe, however he still wanted to have it.

He designed the perfect ring for her with the help of the owner. It was a black and white diamond engagement ring that featured a platinum spilt shank. A prong set round diamond was cradled in the open center and one band sported black diamonds, while the other was adorned with white diamonds. He thought it was the perfect symbol of their lives. His dark combined with her light. He had inscribed on the inside band, "Mi amor, Mi corazón, Mi vida ...Mi Babe." He knew that she would love it and he couldn't wait to put it on her finger, but he needed to wait.

Stephanie didn't want to get married. At least not to Joe, but Ranger had a sneaky suspicion that she would say yes to his proposal. He just needed to wait a little bit. He wanted to date her first. Take her out to dinner. Sway with her on the dance floor. Sit though a stupid chick flick. He wanted to buy her flowers and chocolates. Do all of those things that boyfriends do when they're courting their woman. The ring would be waiting when the time was right.

Ranger refused to answer Junior's question. They didn't need to know the details of his plans and he didn't want to confirm or deny that the ring even existed. Only one other person knew about it and that was Tank. Ranger had given him strict instructions to give the ring to Stephanie if anything ever happened to him. Ranger had planned it just right so that she would never have to worry about anything ever again if the worst happened. Not that money mattered to her, but it helped to keep Ranger's mind at ease knowing that she would have something to remember him by.

"What's the latest Intel, Junior? Anything new pop up?" Ranger decided to turn the conversation away from his relationship and onto more productive things. Junior shook his head at the boss's obvious avoidance of his question. "No change in Intel. Jefe is at his inland drug factory compound some days and at his beach resort the others. When we get the tip on his exact schedule from Santos, we'll be able to set up the strike."

Ranger nodded and asked another important question. "How many hostiles and unknowns are at each house?"

"The beach compound is where his wife and two younger children reside. There are seventy-five guards and servants on sight along with his personal eight guards when he's there. The inland compound is where he spends time with the girlfriends. It has more guards because it's where he makes his drugs. On average there's about 100 guards and workers on-sight every day. His wife and children never venture to that residence, so I suggest hitting him there to reduce the risk of unnecessary casualties."

Again, Ranger nodded pleased with Junior's reports. "What about his oldest son?"

"He's currently on an extended honeymoon with his new wife. He wants no part of his father's business and is currently becoming quite rich on his own. He and his wife started an interior decorating company that is well known by all the Hollywood stars. At last check, they're not scheduled to return from Italy until next month. Then they're setting up residence in LA. They just landed the contract to decorate the newest home of some huge Hollywood movie star. I don't see him or his wife being a problem for us, ever. The apple fell FAR from the tree with that one." Junior chuckled as he finished his report.

"We have visuals on anyone?" Ranger asked matter of factly. Junior nodded. "I've got pictures of all the main players. I have most of the guards, but the workers change so often that it's impossible to keep them accurate. I even have a picture of the son's new wife. It's not very clear, but you can kind of see her. He's been able to keep her far away from his father's business."

"Great job! Let's get this shit done so we can go home. I know we all would rather be back in Trenton then in some Columbian hell-hole." The men all laughed and nodded at Ranger's words. Before he could say anything else, the door opened and in stepped the commander of the base.

The men heard the rumble of a plane overhead and knew that their time in the states was ending. With one last look at each other, they stood up and grabbed their gear. The plane wasn't staying on the ground long and they needed to be ready to board the minute it touched down.

Ranger was the last to leave the recreation tent. He had his bag slung over his shoulder and as he stepped out into the cool night air, he let his mind wander to his Babe. He wondered what she was doing and if she was thinking about him. He could almost hear her thoughts and heard her prayer for his safe return. His heart heard her say, "I love you, Carlos" and he smiled to himself. As he stepped onto the plane that would take him to Columbia, his heart returned the sentiment and screamed, "I love you too, Babe." Ranger knew that wherever she was and whatever she was doing, she heard him.

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A/N - So now we've heard from Ranger and the guys. Is the mission going to go smooth or are they going to have problems? What do you think? The next chapter will be Stephanie's night out with the guys and girls. I'll also introduce a new character for Stephanie to interact with. Will this be a good thing or a bad thing?

If you want to see the ring Ranger had made, here is the link. Be sure to take out all the _ when you copy and paste it. Stephanie's ring is the second one on the page.

h_t_t_p:/ringspotters_._com/2012/07/barkevs-black- diamond-engagement-rings_._html


	5. Dulzura

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all for the reviews and fav/follows. I apologize if I missed responding to your review, but I honestly LOVE reading what you all think about each chapter. Please keep them coming they are what keeps me writing.

My amazing Lou and beta, Potterwench, deserves a round of applause for making this chapter and every other one more enjoyable to read. Without her, you all would probably be lost. LOL!

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**Chapter 5 - Dulzura**

Stephanie stood dressed in hip-hugging skinny jeans, a tight black halter top and a pair of five inch FMP's waiting for her ride to Pino's. Her hair was pinned up with a few curls framing her face in anticipation of getting sweaty in the club. All the guys at RangeMan had jumped on board with the night out plan. Cal and Woody were scheduled to pick her up in a few minutes and they were meeting everyone else at the restaurant. She underhandedly arranged for Hal to pick up Connie so that she wouldn't have to drive herself.

She was applying her lipstick when she heard the gentle knock at her door. She knew the Merry Men didn't knock, so she was curious as to who was here. She opened the door to find a smiling Joe Morelli. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Joe?" Stephanie opened the door to allow him to come into her apartment.

Joe walked by her at the door and kissed her on the forehead before walking into her kitchen. "You look good, Cupcake. Going somewhere?" He smirked at her as she leaned up against the other counter in the small room. He knew where she was going and the reason. That's why he came over tonight. "Actually, I'm going out tonight to celebrate my last night of freedom. The guys from RangeMan agreed to train me and since it all starts tomorrow, I wanted one last night of indulgence. Connie and Lula and I are going out with a bunch of the guys." Joe smiled and nodded. He had heard the rumors around town, and he assumed they were correct.

"You and Ranger talked last night." It was more of a statement than a question. Joe also heard all about Stephanie's obvious after-sex glow. He caught her slight blush and knew that it was true also. "Yes, we did talk and we decided to give a relationship a try." Stephanie looked ashamed for a second and then turned her concerned eyes up to the man in front of her. "I'm so sorry, Joe. You must think this is awfully fast. I don't want to hurt you, but Ranger and I admitted our feelings last night. He wants to be with me and I want to be with him. I just don't want you to think that I wasn't upset about what happened between you and I last..." Joe started laughing and shook his head.

"Relax, Steph. I told you last night that all I wanted was you to be happy and I know Ranger does that for you. I'm excited that he finally pulled his head out of his ass and told you how he feels. You can't help who you fall in love with and I don't think this is fast for you two at all. This has been brewing for the past three years." Joe walked forward and pulled her into his arms. "I'm really happy for you, Cupcake." Stephanie melted into his embrace and let out a long sigh. "Besides, I can't be too mad when I have a date of my own tonight."

Stephanie pulled back and looked at Joe. He laughed at her shocked look and placed another kiss on her forehead. "Don't look so shocked. I'm quite a catch!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and slapped Joe's chest. "I know you're a catch, I guess I'm just surprised because you didn't have a whole lot of time to really meet anyone knew. You worked today. So, tell me who she is."

It was Joe's turn to roll his eyes and let out a sigh. "I decided to ask Hannah Sizemore out." Stephanie was quiet for a second letting what Joe said sink in. She looked at him and smiled widely. Hannah was the librarian at the High School and perfect for Joe. Stephanie remembered her from school and always wondered why she hadn't settled down.

"I think you two are perfect for each other. She had such a huge crush on you in high school. I remember her asking me all the time what you were like. You two are going to have so much fun!" Stephanie's excitement was contagious and soon Joe was feeling the same giddiness that she was. They were laughing together and Joe was talking about his date plans when two other men stepped into the kitchen. Cal and Woody both had their eye brows raised as they took in the scene in front of them.

Stephanie caught their looks and laughed harder. "Hey guys! I'm almost ready." She exclaimed while laughing. She turned to kiss Joe on the cheek and wish him luck. "Good luck tonight, Joe. But I don't think you're going to need it. Just make sure you treat her right. That means no Morelli moves on the first date! Be good!" Joe chuckled returned her kiss to the cheek. He heard the two growls from the men in black, but he chose to ignore them. "I'll be good, I promise. I'll call you tomorrow evening to see how your first day of training went." Stephanie smiled and ran back to her bedroom to grab her purse.

Joe turned to the two other men and stared at them. "Keep her safe! And if either one of you two are helping her train...good luck and watch out for her knee." Woody cringed since he was the one meeting her on the mats. Cal smiled and stepped out of the way for Joe to leave.

A few minutes later, Stephanie reappeared. She had fixed her make-up and spritzed on some perfume. For the first time since they had arrived, Stephanie took a second to take in the Merry Men in their casual attire. Cal wore blue jeans that hugged him in all the right places along with a wine colored Henley shirt. Woody, was the opposite in tight fitting Wranglers and a green checkered western shirt. The belt buckle on his front was huge and so was the cowboy hat on top of his head. Stephanie thought they were both handsome in their work uniforms, but out of them...they were gorgeous.

Woody and Cal burst out laughing and Stephanie blushed when she realized that she said her thoughts out loud. "Thanks Darlin'! I think you're gorgeous too." Stephanie smiled at them and the trio exited her apartment laughing.

They were the last ones to arrive at Pino's and found that their group had commandeered an entire section of tables at the back of the restaurant. It looked like every RangeMan Trenton employee was present, so Stephanie decided to comment to Tank, "Geeze, Tank. Did you leave anyone behind to even watch the monitors?" Tank, the RangeMan second in command and all around bad ass, rolled his eyes making Stephanie giggle as she took an empty seat between Vince and a guy that she didn't know.

He wasn't as built as the other Merry Men, but he still had more muscles than any normal human should. His dark hair was cut short and begged for someone to run their fingers through it. His dark eyes looked Stephanie up and down with an appreciative look. Stephanie noticed the long scar that started at his left eyebrow and trailed across his face and ended under the collar of his T-shirt on the right side. Stephanie smiled at him and offered him her hand. "Hi! I'm Stephanie and you must be new. I thought I knew all the merry men."

Everyone at the table laughed and Stephanie looked at them confused. The unknown guy beside her took her hand and kissed it. "I'm not new and you know of me, but you haven't met me. Dante Rodriguez. I'm the one you curse on a daily basis when you work for us." Stephanie smiled brightly and sat down beside him. "So you're the one that keeps me busy and my ass numb. Can I ask you a question?"

Rodriguez laughed and nodded. "How do you keep my box filled? It seems like I work through a pile of searches and leave my desk for a second only to come back to another pile! How do you do that shit?" The whole table laughed. Rodriguez leaned in to whisper in Stephanie's ear. "If I told you the answer to that, Dulzura, then I couldn't get away with feeding our best researcher the files I need from her. You truly are the best and I like to use you whenever I can." Stephanie blushed at his compliments and smiled at him.

The men at the table caught the interaction between the two and each thought that a chat with Rodriguez was due. He needed to understand that Stephanie Plum was spoken for. No one wanted to deal with Ranger if he came back to find his employee made a pass at his woman. No good would come from that scenario.

"Well, thank you Dante. You'll have more of an opportunity to use me starting tomorrow. I have a feeling that I'm not leaving the office much for the first few months." Stephanie exclaimed without thinking. Hal had just taken a drink of his beer and spewed it all over the table. The whole table started laughing, but it was Ram who spoke up. "Bomber, I'm not sure Ranger's going to like hearing that Rodriguez **used **you while he was gone."

Stephanie looked at him confused and then thought about what she had said. She let out a groan and blushed. "I guess I walked into that one didn't I, guys?" Everyone at the table nodded. "Well, I guess we can be thankful that Les isn't here. I'm sure he'd have said something totally outrageous!" The table laughed again.

Pouring himself another mug of beer, Bobby spoke up after the laughter died down. "You're right, Bomber! And then Les would have gotten his ass kicked by Ranger and we'd have to hear him whine for the next week." They all caught Stephanie's wistful look when she thought about Ranger, but she quickly shook it off and steeled her spine.

Stephanie wanted to divert the conversation away from her slip up and looked to Tank for confirmation of her earlier statement about not being able to leave the building. He smiled brightly in answer to her question. "You got that right, Little Girl! Until you can pass our standard entrance tests, all you'll be doing is some routine pick-ups that I approve. But, even then you'll have a partner."

Stephanie stiffened at Tank's words because she really didn't like being told what to do, but then she remembered her promise to Ranger to stay safe and knew that Tank was only trying to help her accomplish that. She knew the upcoming months were going to test her and try her patience, but she was determined to complete them. She believed that she could and would do anything that she put her mind too, but there was a small part of her that still doubted in her abilities.

Stephanie, lost in her doubting thoughts, was startled by a hand on the back of her neck. She turned to Rodriguez, the owner of the hand, and smiled. "Don't freak out, Dulzura. I know you're going to be just fine. If I can pass the tests, then you can too."

"Thanks. I know deep down that I can do it, but there's still this part that..." She stopped talking when she realized how she must sound. These guys were confident and always self-assured and she didn't want to sound weak in front of them. Rodriguez understood and squeezed her neck lightly.

"I know what you're thinking and I can tell you that it's a dangerous thought process. You and I will have to talk soon and I'll explain some things to you. Until then, just trust the guys and trust me when we say that you can do this." Rodriguez's eyes bore into Stephanie's as he spoke to her. Stephanie smiled and nodded at him. She wasn't clear on what they needed to talk about, but she could tell by his eyes that he was sincere. Rodriguez turned his attention back to Hal who was telling the table the story when Stephanie blew up the Porsche and garbage truck. By the time he was done telling the story, the whole table, including Stephanie, was practically rolling on the floor in laughter.

When Stephanie and the rest of the party's tummies were full of pizza and beer, they decided to head to the club for some dancing. Bobby steered her to his SUV and placed her in the front seat. Rodriguez hopped into the back. Stephanie turned and gave him a charming smile. He smiled back and leaned forward to talk to her. "I hope you'll save me the first dance, Dulzura. I can't wait to see your moves on the dance floor."

Stephanie giggled at his obvious flirting and decided to ask the question that had been plaguing her since they met. "What exactly does Dulzura mean? I've been called numerous nicknames, but I don't recognize that one." Bobby grumbled beside her while Rodriguez chuckled from the back. "It's Spanish for Sweetness. Plums just happen to be my favorite fruit and I love how sweet they are." He shrugged like his confession was no big deal, but Stephanie's face burned in embarrassment. Bobby sent a glare to his co-worker in the rearview mirror.

The rest of the ride to the club was silent as each passenger got lost in their respective zones. Stephanie, wondered where Ranger was at that moment and what he was doing. She knew that he would occasionally leave Trenton and do secret jobs for the government and she knew that these jobs were important. She never asked what he did when he was gone because she knew he would never be able to tell her. It was enough hearing him say that he would do everything he could to come back to her.

Bobby pulled up in front of the club and stopped at the curb. "You two hop out and I'll park the car. They should be holding a table for us if you're the first ones inside. It's under RangeMan." Rodriguez hopped out and opened Stephanie's door for her. He helped her down and tucked her arm through his to escort her into the busy club. Stephanie chuckled at the death glares she got from the women standing in line to get into the club. The bouncer didn't even look twice at them as they approached. He lifted the rope and let them through.

Rodriguez moved behind Stephanie once they got inside and led her through the crowd with his hand at the small of her back. He led her to the roped off VIP section and spoke to the man standing at the entrance. The man smiled to him and removed the rope to let them enter.

They barely had time to get seated before the rest of the party joined them in the VIP room. Instantly the room went from quiet to chaos with Lula and Connie freaking out about being in the VIP accommodations. The guys with them were chuckling at their reactions and even Stephanie had to stifle a few laughs. It was Lula's three-minute long "damn" that made her almost pee herself. Luckily for Stephanie, Rodriguez rescued her and led her to the dance floor for their dance.

Rodriguez led her to the middle of the dance floor right as a slow set was beginning. He pulled her into his arms comfortably and they started swaying to the music. Rodriguez looked down at the woman in his arms and smiled. He had been attracted to Stephanie Plum since he saw her on his monitor, but he never got the nerve to approach her. He knew that she was off-limits because she belonged to the Boss, but she was friends with the other guys so he wanted that same privilege.

Stephanie's sweet voice broke him out of his internal dialogue. "What's that smile for, Dante?" Rodriguez smiled wider because it had been a long time since anyone called him by his first name. RangeMan was the only family he had and with the guys, he was known by his last name or his name from the Army, Data. He was the information gatherer for his team so anything they needed to know, all they had to do was ask him.

He realized that he had been too quiet after her question so he decided to answer with a shrug of his shoulders as he said, "What? Can't a guy just be happy and smile?" Stephanie tried to raise one eyebrow, but failed miserably causing her dance partner to laugh. Stephanie glared at this laugh which only made him laugh harder.

"Don't tell me you're just like the rest of the guys…all mysterious and secretive. I have enough men like that in my life." Rodriguez sobered and looked at the blue eyes staring up at him. "I don't mean to be secretive, Dulzura. I was smiling because you're a fun person. Even though I only just officially met you, I really like you and I can see us being good friends."

It was Stephanie's turn to smile. "Even though I hate you some days, I think you're going to be a great friend too." The pair was quiet as they finished dancing to the song.

A faster paced song started next and Stephanie got a wicked gleam in her eye. Rodriguez knew he was in for a good time when he saw her look. They started moving together to the beat of the music, each lost in the sensations coursing through their bodies. Both of them were completely oblivious to the stares coming from the VIP room.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Hal demanded and stood up to 'break up" the dancing duo. "Doesn't he know that she's off limits?" Tank stopped Hal before he got very far. "Sit down! His hands are in the appropriate zones and they're having a good time. This is the first time we've gotten Rodriguez to come out with us. We're not going to do something to jeopardize that. We all know Little Girl isn't going to forget about Ranger. She just got him and she's not going to walk away from him." Everyone in the room stared with jaws open at Tank. "Shut up fuckers. I can talk when I want to. I just usually don't get the chance because all of you women are clucking like hens." They all stared at him with shock and awe on their faces.

Tank rolled his eyes and stood up. "Come on, Baby. Let's show these losers how it's done." He offered Lula his hand and kissed it when she stood. The VIP room was silent as they watched Tank walk to the dance floor with his woman trailing behind him. "I didn't know Tank knew that many words." Connie's voice was incredulous. Hal stood up and offered her his hand. "Would you like to dance?" Connie smiled and followed Hal to a spot close to Lula and Tank.

The guys who were left looked at each other and each stood at the same time. "As fun as it is to sit here with you all, I'm going to find me a woman to take home." Woody drawled and walked out to find a piece of meat for the night. Most of the rest of them followed suit. Bobby and Cal remained in the VIP room and they both looked at each other speculatively.

Cal broke the silence first. "What are you waiting for Brown? Aren't you going to find a woman?" Bobby raised a brow at him before answering. "I'm waiting for Stephanie to get the next dance with her. What are you waiting for?" It was Cal's turn to raise his brow. "Same thing." Both men were in a stare down when Stephanie and Rodriguez came back into the room laughing.

Stephanie collapsed down onto the comfy couch and took a huge gulp of her cold drink. Since she had to be up early, she chose to stay away from alcohol so it was just a diet coke, but it sure tasted good. Cal was about to ask Stephanie to dance when Tank swooped in and picked her up. "Come on Little Girl. Lula is taking a break, so you're dancing with me."

In a flash, Stephanie was gone again and both Cal and Bobby sat looking stunned. "Bet you two feel pretty stupid. Tank's the quiet one and got the girl before both of you." Rodriguez laughed and got two death glares from his coworkers. That didn't stop his laughter which only made the two men angrier.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of dance partners and brief pauses. Stephanie loved being out with her friends and knew that there wasn't going to be many opportunities to do things like this after tomorrow. She was dancing with Cal when the self doubts about being able to finish the training started creeping into her mind again. She searched the club for Rodriguez and her eyes found him talking to a blonde at the bar. Even though he was in a conversation with the other woman, his eyes were on Stephanie and she could almost read his mind. He was telling her to stop self-doubting and trust in herself. She knew she wanted to have that talk with him and she wanted it to be sooner rather than later. She chuckled to herself because the bane of her existence just might become her new best friend.

Bobby and Rodriguez dropped Stephanie off at her apartment and cleared it before she went inside. She gave both men a kiss on the cheek before they left and she crawled into bed. She lay there quietly and her thoughts turned to Ranger. She got a feeling in the pit of her stomach and she knew that wherever he was, he was thinking about her too at that exact moment. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer for him to come back to her. As her eyes closed and she began to drift off, her heart cried out to his, "I love you, Carlos". It calmed her when she heard his reply, "I love you too, Babe". The comfort of knowing he heard her allowed her to fall into a deep and peaceful sleep.

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A/N - Another one bites the dust. What did you think of Dante? Well be seeing him a lot in this story, but don't worry...Stephanie only has eyes for Ranger. The next chapter will start Steph's training.


	6. Believe in Yourself

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Many thanks to my beta and Lou, Potterwench. Her editing skills are what makes this story so enjoyable. Without her...sheesh. You don't want to know! : )

Thank you all for the reviews and fav/follows. You are blowing me away with your reviews! I LOVE that you all are happy with my version of Rodriguez. We learn some more about him in this chapter. Now...on with the show!

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**Chapter 6 - Believe in Yourself**

The next two months were excruciating for Stephanie. Tank and the guys weren't joking when they said they would make her work. Even though she was exhausted every day, she was happy because she knew that they weren't going easy on her. They treated her just like one of the guys that made her feel unstoppable. She looked better than ever and felt incredible.

A week into her training, Tank talked her into temporarily moving into an open apartment on the fourth floor. She didn't need much convincing once she was tempted with being able to eat Ella's food whenever she wanted it. Tank originally offered her the use of the penthouse, but she turned it down. She wanted the next time she moved into Ranger's space to be because he asked her there. She knew the apartment on four was just temporary, but she enjoyed staying there. She knew that when the time came, she would give up her apartment and move to Haywood permanently. She found just the simple act of moving into the building seemed to give her an edge in her training.

When Stephanie wasn't working on searches or in the gym, Ram had her in the gun range. She learned how to shoot all sorts of different weapons. She fell in love with a Glock 19, which became the gun she carried with her at all times. She kept her .38, but it stayed in her apartment. Ram even taught her how to use the assault rifles that were kept in the armory. She handled the HK 417 just like one of the guys. It impressed the shit out of the Merry Men.

It only took about three weeks on the defensive driving course for Stephanie to feel comfortable spotting tails and trailing vehicles. She was a natural at driving at increased speeds, so she had no problem maneuvering the SUV through the course. Cal almost pissed himself the first time he took her onto the highway. He had never seen a woman handle herself as calmly as Stephanie did during rush hour traffic. She was aggressive, but made sure she was safe too.

Breaking and entering was a little more difficult for Stephanie to figure out. It took almost a full ten hours to get her into her old apartment. She got so frustrated at one point that Zero had to bribe her with a Tasty Cake to get her motivated to finally get the lock open. When she did, her smile was bright enough to light up all of New York. That first lock was just the beginning of her struggles. The guys saw her getting frustrated, so they decided to use desserts as motivation to get her into cabinets and drawers. It worked better than they thought and before too long, she was picking every lock that they put in front of her.

Bobby helped worked with Ella to tailor a diet that was healthy and tasted good. Stephanie still got her desserts, but they were made without sugar or gluten and tasted amazing to her. The first two weeks were hard for her, but soon her cravings for donuts and Pino's subsided and she started to actually enjoy the salads and lean fish dishes. She really liked the change in her body too, but that was because of all the exercise she was doing also.

Bobby and Woody made sure that she was awake and in the gym every day by 0600. She would start with running and then move onto the mats for her self-defense/takedown lessons. The guys were absolutely impressed with how quickly she picked up on what they taught her. After the first two weeks, she was able to take down Woody. The first time she planted him on his ass shocked them both. When she became familiar with Woody's fight style, Bobby pulled in Zero to replace him. By the end of the first two months, Stephanie was sparring with Cal and holding her own. Tank knew that she would have no problem facing Ranger when the time came and Tank knew that time was coming sooner rather than later.

Ranger made sure to call in to Tank at least once a week while on the mission. Everything was going according to schedule, so the team was expected back the same day Stephanie was scheduled to take her employment tests. Tank decided to keep that bit of information to himself in order to surprise Stephanie and Ranger.

The day of Stephanie's employment tests came before she knew it. She woke up that morning with a smile on her face. She was ready and she knew that she was going to pass everything they threw at her. Stephanie got up and threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top for her morning work-out.

The gym was full of guys when she walked in. Stephanie stepped onto an open treadmill beside Tank and started her warm up. The big man beside her turned toward her and smiled.

"You ready for today, Little Girl?" His eyes sparkled with excitement. Stephanie could see that he was giddy about putting her through the paces that day.

"I'm beyond ready, Big Guy! I'm not scared of you guys anymore, so bring it on!" Tank laughed out loud at Stephanie's lack of fear. She had changed a lot during the past two months. Gone was the timid girl and standing in her place was a confident and strong Stephanie Plum. Tank knew that Ranger wasn't going to recognize her.

Stephanie and Tank fell into silence as each of them finished their runs. Tank excused himself to spar with Cal and Stephanie did a double take when she recognized the man step up on the treadmill beside her.

"Don't look so shocked to see me, Dulzura. I'm required to exercise just like everyone else I just usually do it at night when no one else is here." Stephanie looked at Dante Rodriguez and smiled. He had become a close friend and had also helped her through the difficult parts of her training.

Three weeks into the rigorous training schedule, Stephanie broke one night. She was alone in her room on the fourth floor and had just gotten off the phone with her mother. As usual, Helen Plum used the phone call to belittle and badger her youngest daughter. Why couldn't she settle down and marry Joseph? Why did she have to live in a building full of dangerous men? Why did she have to be such an embarrassment? It was the same thing that Stephanie had heard over and over, but it was the last statement that caused her to question her abilities and her plan. It was the last comment that hurt the most.

"Stephanie, you're kidding yourself if you think you can succeed at this new job. You've never been able to finish anything you've started. You dropped out of dance class; you dropped out of singing lessons. You got kicked off the tennis team. You barely finished college and your first job was a joke. They laid you off without a second thought. Your first marriage ended so disgracefully, and you couldn't even keep your new husband happy for a month! Joe wouldn't even propose to you because he knows the truth. He knows you are a complete mess! What makes you think you're going to make this Ranger happy? What makes you think that you're going to be any better at being a bounty hunter after training? You're still going to roll in garbage. You're still going to be an embarrassment to yourself and now you're going to disgrace that man's company! What is the community going to think when they associate your disasters to him? He'll drop you the second you cost him business. Then you'll be all alone and what will you do then?" By the time her mother had finished ranting, the tears rolling down Stephanie's face were uncontrollable.

The strong Stephanie crumbled and she reverted back into the self-conscious and broken woman she was before. Doubts filled her mind and when Stephanie didn't talk, her mother smiled to herself, knowing that she had finally gotten through to her. Maybe now Stephanie would pull her head out of the clouds and settle down. Helen wasn't surprised to hear her daughter sobbing before the phone disconnected.

In a cold, lonely apartment on the fourth floor of RangeMan Inc., Stephanie cried. Her mother's words got to her because they were all true. She never completed anything that she'd ever started. She was an habitual quitter and if she did finish something, then it was done so poorly that it shouldn't have been recognized. She was a failure, so why did she think she could finish this training? Why did she think she deserved Ranger? Why did she think she could make him happy?

Rodriguez was walking back to his room at the end of the hall after his nightly workout when he heard the crying coming from behind Stephanie's door. He let out a sigh and his heart broke for the woman in the room. He knew exactly what was going on in her mind. He had the same thoughts at one point in his life. He let someone beat him down so far that he almost wasn't able to climb out. He knew it was time to talk to her, so he quietly picked the lock on her door and stepped inside her apartment.

He found her curled up on the couch, clutching the phone to her chest. He pulled it out of her hands and placed it on the coffee table. She wouldn't look at him as he moved to sit on the floor in front of her so he could see her face. Dante wiped the huge tears off her face and decided to dive right into his story.

"I was in the Army with Ranger and the guys. I used to be as good as them and even went on missions with them. Three years ago, my life changed on one of those missions." Stephanie listened to the baritone cadence of his voice as he spoke to her. "The guys and I were in an undisclosed location. Ranger was leading us. Les was there along with Bobby and another guy. His name was Cole. He and I were buddies in basic training and was the closest thing I ever had to a brother. He followed me to RangeMan and into the missions."

Stephanie turned her eyes to the face of the man in front of her. She wanted him to continue, but knew that it was difficult for him. Rodriguez smiled slightly at her and continued his story. "Durning that mission, Cole was taken by the guys we were after. I watched as they tortured him. Ranger gave me an order to not approach them until everyone was in place to assault, but hearing him scream was too much. I jumped the gun and instead of rescuing my friend, they shot him right in front of me. I caught him before he hit the ground and he died in my arms. The leader of the group laughed as he saw my tears." Rodriguez paused again remembering exactly what he felt that day. Not many people knew about what really happened there.

After several tense silent minutes, he started talking again. "The same man who was laughing at me pulled out a knife and left me this as a reminder of that day." He drew a finger down the scar on his face. Stephanie followed his finger and lightly traced the faded mark. He closed his eyes, enjoying her touch. "He was about to add a matching mark on the other side of my face when Ranger and the guys took everyone into custody. I couldn't do anything but hold the body of my fallen friend." A tear escaped his eye and Stephanie numbly reached out and wiped it away.

"When we got back home, Ranger and I informed Cole's family. His parents blamed me for his death. Since he followed me into the business and into the mission, he was my responsibility and I let him down. They wouldn't even let me attend his funeral. I watched from a distance and paid my respects to his grave after everyone else had left. I left Miami after that. I disappeared because I felt unworthy to be around anyone. I knew the guys had doubts about me and my abilities. If I had just waited for Ranger's signal, then Cole would probably still be alive. I jumped the gun and got him killed." A fresh tear fell from Stephanie's eye because she could feel his pain.

Without skipping a beat, he continued. "I lost myself after that. I drank too much and didn't give a damn about anything. I felt worthless and useless and did things that should have killed me. I wanted to die because I thought the world would be a better place without me. I was a failure and I couldn't live with knowing that." Stephanie understood the point of the story. She felt the same way. She was a failure and she doubted her ability to do the job like Ranger needed her to. "I know what's going on in that pretty head of yours. I don't know why or who made you feel this way, but you doubt yourself and your abilities. Am I right?"

Stephanie nodded and a new crop of tears fell from her eyes as she remembered her mother's words. "My mom called me." That was all she needed to say. Rodriguez knew from listening to the guys talk that Helen Plum was a world-class bitch and did everything she could to belittle her daughter. It disgusted him that she succeeded that night because the woman laying on the couch in front of him was broken.

The apartment was silent for several minutes before Stephanie's tears dried up and she asked the question she needed to hear the answer to. "How did you get past all that? How did you come back from feeling so low? How do you quiet the doubts and the fears?"

Rodriguez let out a long sigh before answering. "I didn't do it alone. Ranger and Les found me drunk off my ass in a hotel in Plano, Texas. I don't even know how I got there. After they spent a week sobering and cleaning me up, I was finally able to function at least enough to talk through my shit. It was Ranger who made me realize some things." Stephanie sat up on the couch and patted the empty seat beside her in invitation for him to get off the floor. She realized he'd been sitting there quite awhile, and was probably sore. Rodriguez smiled at her and accepted the invitation. He sat beside her on the couch and wrapped his arm around her shoulders when she snuggled into his side. He knew that there was nothing sexual about their position. That night, it was all about giving and taking comfort.

"What did Ranger say?" Stephanie's voice was whisper soft and he almost didn't hear it.

"He looked me dead in the eye and told me that he doesn't make mistakes. He never acts on impulse, so unless he knows one-hundred percent that you're going to be worth the trouble, he doesn't bother. He told me that day in Texas that he knew from the beginning that he could trust me. He knew that I was a good man and that no matter what happened on that mission, he still thought I was worth the trouble. He said that he still had faith in me and I just needed to have some faith in myself. He never makes mistakes, so I knew what he said was true. If a person like Ranger could respect me, then I couldn't be all that bad. That was the beginning of the change in me. Les and Ranger brought me to Trenton to work and I began to heal." Rodriguez felt her sigh into his side. He squeezed her tighter and kissed the top of her head.

"The same applies to you. Ranger doesn't make mistakes and he trusts you. He has faith in you so why do you doubt him?" Stephanie was quiet for several minutes before answering.

"I hear what you are saying and I should be able to agree with you, but it's so hard to combat the voice of everyone else that runs through my head. I hear my mom telling me that I'm a failure and that I'll never amount to anything. I hear the cops laughing and joking about me rolling in garbage. I hear Ranger saying that I am just entertainment, even though I know he didn't mean it in a negative way, it still hurt. All of these voices in my head cause the doubts to bubble. Am I just kidding myself thinking that I can do this? That I can be what Ranger needs? I'm a joke and a..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence because Rodriguez's angry voice filled the room. "STOP IT, Stephanie. Tell all of those negative voices in your head to shut the fuck up. You're not a joke because Ranger doesn't make mistakes and he loves you. Do you see him loving a joke?" Stephanie shook her head as tears fell. "Then you can't be a joke because I've seen the way he looks at you. He loves you, Dulzura. Don't ever question that and remember it when the voices come back. Ranger wouldn't love trash and he only wants the best. Guess what? He wants you, so that makes you the best."

Stephanie felt the panic in her subside at his words. They were getting through the ocean of doubts swimming through her head. She knew that Ranger only wanted the best and she knew for a fact that he wanted her. He had faith that she could complete this training or he never would have asked her to do it. He wouldn't waste his time on someone who couldn't be what he needed. "I think you're figuring it out." Rodriguez's voice was soft in her ear. She nodded her head and wiped away a stray tear.

"I am figuring it out. Thank you! I'm not sure what I would have done without you." He kissed her head again. "I know exactly what you would have done. Weeks ago at Shorty's, I saw the look in your eyes. You were starting to doubt yourself then and I knew I needed to keep an eye on you. I don't want you to get to the point where I was. It was scary and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. I'm always here if you need me to tell you again how amazing you are."

Stephanie laughed and hugged the man beside her. That conversation started Stephanie on a whole new road. She approached her training after that with fierce determination and with such passion. Rodriguez watched from his monitor and cheered her on from his office. When he saw her getting down, he did something to pick her back up. He would send her emails or stop by her desk just to say hi. When he noticed her looking especially down, he sent her a dozen daisies with a card that simply said, "Believe in yourself!" After that, her self-esteem seemed to soar and Rodriguez sat back and watched her fly.

Now, two months later, he hardly recognized the woman beside him on the treadmill. She was strong and confident and her light was brighter than ever. She smiled at him brightly and kept on running. "Well, now that I know when you come down here, I might need to join you. It's more fun when you have someone to exercise with." Rodriguez smiled and started his run.

She was done before him and said goodbye as she walked out of the gym. He couldn't help follow her out with his eyes. Bobby stepped up beside him and caught his gaze on her ass.

"Look, but don't touch. She belongs to the boss man and he doesn't like anyone messing with her." Bobby chuckled and slapped his friend on the back.

Rodriguez turned to look at the company medic after Steph disappeared through the door. "I know, man. She's amazing though." Bobby nodded and turned the subject of the conversation toward a safer topic.

"It's good to see you down here this morning. We've missed you, man." Rodriguez smiled and nodded. He knew that the guys had missed him when he pulled away, and he was slowly coming out of his shell more. He still had doubts and fears, but they were getting better.

"I know. I think you're going to be seeing a lot more of me around here." Bobby smiled a full smile and glanced at this watch. It was almost time to start the testing and he needed to get ready.

"Glad to hear that. Are you going to stick around and watch Bomber crush these tests? I'm betting she does better than some of the guys." Rodriguez looked shocked for a minute and then realized that she probably would blow his times out of the water. She'd been working hard.

"I wouldn't miss this show for anything. What's up first?" He turned off the treadmill after his cool-down and stepped off. Bobby chuckled and pulled out his Glock. He wiggled his eye brows and stroked his gun. Rodriguez didn't need words to know that Stephanie's first test was on the shooting range. He and Bobby walked out the door and headed downstairs to watch their favorite girl.

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A/N - So now you have more of Dante's story. He needed Stephanie just as much as she needed him. I love him and want to keep him for myself! The next chapter will be Ranger's return and Stephanie's tests.


	7. Testing, testing 1,2,3

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

I love you all for your amazing reviews! I tried to respond to all of them yesterday, but if I missed you then I'm terribly sorry. Keep your thoughts coming because reading them is what keeps me going!

Thank you to my beta, Potterwench. I couldn't do this without you, Babe!

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**Chapter 7 - Testing, testing 1, 2, 3**

The indoor gun range was packed with people when Stephanie and Tank entered. Tank dismissed the majority of the men back up to the command floor to watch on the monitors. Stephanie was allowed to pick one person to be her 'cheerleader' and she asked Rodriguez to stay. The rest of the guys groaned and left sadly. Ram stayed behind with Bobby and Tank since he was in charge of giving her the test.

"Alright Bomber, I'm putting targets out at twenty-five, twelve and seven feet. Most gunfights happen between the twelve and seven foot range but we want to see how you do at a longer distance too. You'll need to use your Glock and your .38 on each target. I will call out where you need to hit the target and then you'll shoot. After that, we'll move to the rifle range and you'll shoot longer distance targets. Any questions?" Ram looked at Stephanie who looked absolutely sick with nerves. He hated that she was so nervous. Her nerves would impact her aim and would make it hard to complete the tasks.

He was about to say something to help calm her down when Rodriguez stepped up behind her and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Relax, Dulzura. You can do this. It's just like you've been practicing for the past few months. No one else is here and it's just another practice. Remember to breathe and you'll be fine. You got this! Have faith in your abilities." The guys watched closely as whatever Rodriguez said helped Stephanie relax. She rolled her neck to release the tension and then let out a long sigh. Rodriguez stepped back and put on the safety equipment.

Stephanie turned and looked at Ram and picked up her Glock ready for the first position. Ram could see that confident Stephanie was back and smiled at the man behind her. Whatever Rodriguez said had worked and he was thankful that she was relaxed. "Alright Bomber, two shots left shoulder, one shot right, three to the heart, and one to the head. Go!" All four men watched in amazement as she followed Ram's commands expertly. They saw each bullet his its mark and each smiled inwardly knowing that she nailed it!

The next two hours were spent in the gun range testing. She went through all the required drills and passed with flying colors. Tank kept score on the clipboard and refused to let anyone else see it. He was keeping just how well she did a secret. It would all be revealed tonight at her 'Welcome to RangeMan' party.

After the gun range tests were done, the guys gave Stephanie a break to rest her arms. They knew how sore they could get shooting for that long and she would need her arm strong for the next test, defensive driving.

Rodriguez, Cal, and Tank were all waiting for her in the garage after her break. She smiled brightly at them and climbed into the SUV with each of them following. Stephanie led them through the streets of Trenton expertly. She instantly picked out the different tails and was able to lose them quickly. Then she followed one of them back to the RangeMan garage without them noticing. Tank was beyond impressed and silently vowed to find out what man was driving that car.

After she drove through the driving course, Tank told her to head back to RangeMan and take a lunch break. The afternoon was full of physical fitness and self-defense tests and he wanted her to relax before that. Tank also wanted to give her surprise time to get back to the office.

Rodriguez walked Stephanie to the break room and fished a salad out of the refrigerator for her and grabbed himself a sandwich and they sat down to eat.

"So how do you feel so far about everything?" Rodriguez asked in between bites of his turkey and Swiss on rye.

"I feel pretty good. Tank won't show me my scores, but I think I'm doing pretty well. The targets impressed me at the range." They had impressed him too. There were only a few other people in the company who could shoot better than she could. He knew without seeing her score that she passed.

"Good. You're doing great! Just keep it up and you've got it in the bag, Dulzura." Stephanie smiled and finished her salad. She drained two bottles of water and was about to ask for something else when Tank popped his head into the break room.

"Are you ready, Little Girl? Bobby is waiting for us in the gym. We'll get your physical stuff out of the way and then you'll be ready to show us your self-defense and your takedown skills." Stephanie stood up and threw her trash away.

"Who am I working with on the mats?" Rodriguez smiled from behind her. He knew the secret. Tank's blank face slipped for a second before he answered. "I'm not sure who's going to be able to do it. We'll figure it out." Stephanie looked at him like he was crazy. They usually had stuff like that planned out for weeks. She shrugged it off and followed Tank into the gym.

After changing quickly into her shorts and tank top, Stephanie walked out of the locker room and frowned at Bobby. Physical fitness was the one test she wasn't looking forward to. Rodriguez once again felt her uncertainty and stepped up behind her. "You got this Dulzura. You've been working toward this for months. Nothing has changed so relax and have fun."

Once again, Stephanie calmed at his words. She did some warm-up stretches and stepped up to where Bobby stood. He smiled at her and they got busy with the tests. She ran five miles first. When she was finished, she didn't even look tired. Tank remembered how her first mile went on her first day of training. He thought she was going to fall over just from one mile. Stephanie had grown and he was proud.

Over the next hour and a half, Stephanie sat, pulled, and pushed-up until her muscles burned. She did sprints and even climbed the damn rope to the top of the gym ceiling. After she had completed every requirement, Bobby congratulated her and went to get the mats out for her next session. Stephanie collapsed onto the floor breathing heavily.

"You're almost done Little Girl. I'm going to step out and make a call. Relax until you're sparring partner gets here." Stephanie rolled her eyes and nodded. She had every intention of relaxing.

Tank stepped out into the hallway and hit speed dial one on his phone. "Yo." Ranger's voice was hard and he sounded frustrated.

"What's your ETA?" Tank had it planned out perfectly. Ranger had no idea what he was walking into. Tank just hoped he got back in time.

"We're still thirty minutes out, but I'm not coming back to the building." Tank smiled, knowing exactly where his friend wanted to go.

"You're needed here. There's a new employee testing today and I want you to meet them on the mat for the self-defense and take-down tests. You're the best and I want this person pushed." Tank felt, rather than heard Ranger sigh. "Stephanie's not at home anyway. She's busy today so you can see her later."

"Where is she?" Tank smiled at Ranger's obviously anger filled question. Tank had done a good job of keeping Stephanie's progress hidden from Ranger. Tank had dodged Ranger's questions when he checked in and refused to give him anything about what she'd been doing.

"She's safe. Get your ass here and test out with this new employee then you and Stephanie can spend the whole next week together. You're off-line." Tank heard the phone disconnect and knew Ranger was pissed. Tank started to think that maybe sending a pissed off Ranger in to face Stephanie wasn't a good idea

In a black SUV speeding toward Trenton, Ranger ended the call with his second in command and threw his phone into the dash of the SUV. He was beyond frustrated with his friend.

He couldn't believe that Tank was keeping information from him. All he wanted to know was where his Babe was, and no one would tell him. No one would tell him anything. He called Bobby one day to get information and he just laughed at him. Bobby even called him a sad desperate man before hanging up. Fucker was going to pay for that.

The guys were all exhausted. The mission was successful, but tiring. The only glitch in their takedown was the unexpected arrival of the target's son and his wife to the compound. The team's Intel said that the couple was supposed to be on an extended honeymoon, but instead they showed up at the house the day the takedown was scheduled to occur. Instead of aborting their mission, Ranger decided to stick with the plan. The son and his wife were in the opposite wing of the house, so they shouldn't have been a problem. Shouldn't being the operative word.

During the takedown and arrest of Miguel Sanchez, the son's wife was shot and killed by one of her guards. She stepped in front of his gun right before he fired at Les, who was there trying to protect her and the son. The son was in the room and Les watched him as he cradled his dead wife. The guard was dead and there were no other threats, so Les left the son to grieve in peace. The wife was the only casualty, so they called the mission a success.

After the suspect was turned over to the government, the group was free to head home after they spent a few days in Washington debriefing with the suits. It was Ranger's last mission, so the meetings lasted longer than they should have. The government didn't want to lose their best operative, so they tried pressuring him into re-signing. Ranger refused and informed them that he had no intention of ever doing those types of jobs again. He was done and wanted out. He had his Babe and he never wanted to leave her again. He would miss doing missions, but as long as he had Stephanie, he knew he would be happy and nothing else mattered.

Forty minutes after ending the call with Tank, the black SUV pulled in and parked in the underground garage. Tank was waiting for the team beside the elevator.

"Welcome back!" He shook hands with everyone except Ranger.

"Where's this new guy at? I need an ass to kick, and then I need to get the fuck out of here!" Ranger entered the elevator and hit three. He felt Tank chuckling behind him, but didn't think anything about it. When the doors opened on the third floor, Ranger made a move to step off, but was stopped by Tank's hand on his arm.

"This new employee is good. One of the best I've seen. The scores are unbelievable so far with all the other tests and I know you're going to have fun with this. Just don't hold back and don't underestimate them." Ranger raised an eyebrow and knocked Tank's hand off his arm. He never held back, so he couldn't understand why Tank felt the need to say that.

Ranger walked into the gym with his team behind him. The first thing he saw was his Babe stretching on the mats. He silently took in her improved body. Ranger could tell she'd been working out and that it had done her body good. She was more toned and he could tell that she carried herself with more confidence. It took a second for the sight in front of him to register in his brain. Stephanie was the new employee?

He turned slightly and raised an eye brow at Tank. His second in command gave him a small nod and a rare full-fledged Ranger smile broke out on his face. He was beyond happy.

He stripped his boots and belt off before walking closer. His shirt came off next as he stepped up onto the mat behind the love of his life. He noticed Rodriguez standing in front of Stephanie and was surprised at first to see him. He didn't have time to think about it anymore because Stephanie turned around.

Before Ranger arrived, Bobby informed Stephanie that her surprise 'partner' had arrived and that she should get warmed up. She stepped up onto the green mats and started stretching. She didn't want to pull anything. Her back was to the gym door as she was stretching her back muscles. Rodriguez stood in front of her, smiling. He heard the door open and smiled wider as he saw the team of guys walk through.

Stephanie was aware of the change in the atmosphere around her and suddenly felt the familiar tingle at the back of her neck. She turned around, and as she caught sight of the man stepping up onto the mat, she squealed and launched herself into his arms. Her lips met his in a very inappropriate 'hello' kiss which he anxiously returned. The clearing of a throat behind them made the couple break apart. Ranger sat her down on her feet and brushed a stray curl out of her face.

"I can't believe you're here." He whispered the words softly so only his Babe could hear them.

"Where else would I be? I told you I would wait for you." Stephanie stroked his face and then took a step back realizing that they were in the gym surrounded by their friends and co-workers. "I guess you're my partner/judge in these tests?" Stephanie looked a little anxious at that question. Ranger nodded and started stretching.

Rodriguez felt the apprehension begin to roll off Steph in waves and once again stepped up. "Don't freak out."

Stephanie turned and looked at him with panic filled eyes. "He's Ranger! He's the best. I can't beat the best," she stuttered out nervously.

Rodriguez bent down to look directly into her eyes. "You don't have to beat him. Just don't let him beat you. You're just as good as he is. Maybe better because he's been out of practice the past two months. You can do this. Just remember everything we've taught you." Stephanie nodded and started bouncing on her toes.

Ranger caught the interaction between Stephanie and Rodriguez and looked at Tank. Tank, understanding the question, whispered into his ear. "They're just friends. They've helped each other more than I ever thought possible. He's been her cheerleader all day. You've got nothing to worry about." Ranger nodded and started bouncing on his toes just like his Babe.

"Alright! Let's start with take-down techniques. I'll call out what I want you to do, and you do it. Any questions Bomber?" Bobby was beyond excited about what was going on. He's wanted to see these two meet on the mats for a long time.

"The only question I have is when are we going to start the ass kicking? I'm anxious to get this shit done!" Stephanie yelled as she circled around the mat with Ranger. The guys around the gym laughed and settled in to watch the show.

Bobby shook his head and began the test. As he called out different techniques, Stephanie performed them as best she could. Ranger would fight her only to the capacity of one of their skips. If he fought her one-hundred percent, she'd never pass. Stephanie struggled but eventually got him down each and every time. The first time she planted Ranger on his ass, it surprised the shit out of him. He underestimated her a little bit, but remedied that after the first takedown. He didn't give the others up so easily and she still got him down.

After rolling around on the mats with Stephanie for forty-five minutes, Ranger was beyond horny. He was doing his best to calm his emotions, but with each takedown it was becoming increasingly more difficult to not pin her down and fuck her senseless.

When all the takedowns had been completed, the gym erupted into cheers. Bobby called for a ten minute break before the self-defense portion started. Ranger sat in the middle of the mat looking at his Babe. She caught his gaze and sat down in front of him to rest.

"Did I surprise you, Batman?" Ranger chuckled and shook his head. He was beyond surprised.

"It's safe to say that you shocked the shit out of me, Babe. I'm so proud of you!" Stephanie smiled and flopped onto her back. Ranger stared at the exposed skin of her stomach that was visible because her tank top rode up a little. He could make out the definition of her abs and he groaned silently. Dios, he wanted to lick his way across that stomach, and those thoughts were not helping him with the not so little problem he was sporting in his cargoes.

After the break was over, Ranger had his emotions back in control and decided that he could make it through the last test with no problems. He was anxious to see how well she did with self-defense.

Bobby stepped up to the edge of the mat and smiled at the couple standing in the middle. "Self-defense! Ranger, I don't need to call out the moves do I?" Ranger shook his head and smiled at Stephanie. "Good. Bomber, you know what to do. Begin when you both are ready."

For the next hour, Ranger would attack and Stephanie would defend. He couldn't find an opening for the first several moves and it was frustrating him. She was able to block almost every attack he made. He finally found her weakness and exploited it. He took her down to the mats a couple of times and moved in for the 'kill', but she immediately hopped up and attacked him right back. She never landed a killing blow, but then again...neither did he and that was what was important. Ranger mentally catalogued all her weaknesses so that they could work on them together. He wanted her to be as good as him and he knew she could get there as long as she practiced. It would just take some work.

Bobby called the test over after an hour and rushed into the ring to hug Stephanie. Tank had the score card but he knew from just watching that she did better than most of the guys in the company. Bobby laughed when he heard Ranger growl from behind him, but he didn't care. He was proud of his Bomber and wanted to tell her.

Ranger pulled Stephanie out of Bobby's arms and into his. "God Babe, I'm so proud of you. You blew my mind today." Ranger growled into her ear making Stephanie shiver from his close proximity.

Stephanie purred back to him, "I'll blow something else later." Ranger growled again and kissed her hungrily. Tank's voice interrupted their private celebration.

"OKAY!" Stephanie pulled away from Ranger's kiss and turned in his arms. He was holding her tight to his chest as Tank spoke. "I have to say something before I go over your scores with you. I've been doing this shit for years, and have tested almost every employee here. You, Stephanie Plum, did better than a vast majority of them. There are only six guys here that outscored you, but it wasn't by much." The gym erupted into cheers and Ranger pulled her tighter into his body.

"In the gun range, you scored a 98% accuracy rating. You're 100% with your Glock and 99% with the assault rifle. The problems came with your .38, but that's okay. That's still an amazing score." Stephanie smiled. She was proud of herself already and she hadn't even heard everything. "Defensive driving, you scored 100 percent. I don't even want to discuss how you were able to trail Hal back to RangeMan without him knowing." The gym erupted and Hal was razzed for a few minutes.

"You passed the physical fitness parts with flying colors. You beat the times of most of the men here and you did everything with the same standards. Very impressive! Take-down techniques and self-defense, you took down the Bossman! Need I say more? There are some areas that you need to work on, but we'll worry about those when you come back from your little vacation with the boss." Laughter filled the gym. Ranger rolled his eyes and then dropped a kiss on top of Stephanie's head. "It makes me beyond proud and a little giddy..." Tank did a little jig as he spoke. He really was excited. "...to welcome you to RangeMan, Stephanie. You are now officially one of the guys!"

Ranger picked her up and twirled her around. "Welcome to RangeMan, Babe." She smiled and kissed him tenderly. All too soon she was pulled out of Ranger's arms and passed around the gym to all the guys there. Everyone ignored Ranger's growls and kept on passing around their newest co-worker. When she got to Lester, she smiled at her best friend and he overstepped the boundaries to give her a loud kiss right on the lips.

"Santos, hands and lips off my woman! I'm not too tired to kick your ass tonight still." Ranger walked over and took Stephanie out of Les' arms. The guys started filing out of the gym to return to their duties and Tank motioned Ranger out the door. Ranger knew that he was being beckoned up to his office for something important so he squeezed Stephanie one last time.

"I've got to talk to Tank real fast, but I'll meet you up on seven soon. I'm off-line for a week, Babe and want you to spend it with me." Ranger kissed her passionately before walking out the door. Almost all of the guys were already gone, so no one caught her dazed expression as Ranger left. Stephanie's mind filled with everything they would be doing later and she moaned, loudly. She couldn't wait to get her Ranger reward for all her hard work. Stephanie walked out of the gym and headed to her apartment. She needed to shower and change before meeting Ranger. She also grabbed some extra clothes and threw them into a bag. She had no intentions of leaving his apartment once she got him locked behind closed doors.

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A/N - What did you think of the training and Ranger's return? The mission was successful and he is back where he belongs! Good, bad, or ugly...tell me what you thought!


	8. Welcome Home!

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all for your continued reviews. They mean so much to me and I LOVE reading each and every one of them! This chapter contains smut and some other mushy goodness. If smut offends you, PM me and I will send you the smut-less chapter for your reading pleasure.

One of my reviewers brought up a good point so I had to come back in and add a little more to this chapter. Thank you, reddnrad, for pointing out what was missing. You get Dante for a day! : )

Potterwench...after you worked your magic I had to go back in and mess it up. Part of this chapter hasn't been beta'd so if there are mistakes, then it's all me.

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**Chapter 8 - Welcome Home**

Stephanie showered quickly and threw on a pair of yoga pants with a tank top and packed up the rest of her clothes. She knew that the apartment she'd been staying in belonged to Les and now that he was back, he would probably want to use it. Since her training was over, she could return to her apartment. However, she had some plans with Ranger on seven before she even thought about leaving.

As soon as she was done putting all her belongings in her bag, there was a knock at the door. She opened it with a flourish to see a smiling Dante standing in the hallway. Stephanie smiled back and was instantly swept into his strong arms. He hugged her with everything he had in him and his heart soared hearing her giggles. Once she was back on her own feet, Stephanie stepped back and let Dante into the apartment before closing the door.

"I guess that was my congratulations hug." Stephanie giggled once they were both in the kitchen.

"That was your...I'm so fucking proud of you hug AND your congratulations hug all wrapped up in one. I glanced at your scores while Tank wasn't looking...DAMN Dulzura! You blew that shit away! I knew you could do it." Stephanie smiled and blushed at his words.

"Thank you! I was so nervous when I saw Ranger was my testing person, but I held my own didn't I?" Rodriguez smiled and shook his head dramatically.

"You did more that hold your own...you blew my mind! I'm so proud of you!" He pulled her into a hug again and kissed the top of her head. She really did impress him that day and he wanted her to know just how proud of her he was. From the sanctuary of his office, he'd watched Stephanie when she first started hanging around the building. He always saw the potential bubbling inside her and absolutely loved when she worked part-time for them. He made sure she was kept extremely busy he entire time she was there. He used to chuckle at her mumbled curses when she'd step away for a second and come back to find her in-box full. The day she set out on a mission to find him in the building had him rolling on the floor in his office laughing. She searched everywhere, but was unsuccessful at locating him. Because of that fucked up mission, he made it a point to stay away from the other guys. His office was actually located in his apartment. It was where he felt the safest. Since Stephanie had moved in, though, he'd been out more times in those few months than any of his co-workers could remember. The old Rodriguez was coming back and it was all thanks to Stephanie.

After several minutes, she stepped out of his arms and smiled at him again. "I owe you a huge thank you, Dante. I wouldn't have survived the training let alone made it through the testing without you. I have no idea how I'm ever going to repay you!" Rodriguez chuckled and shook his head. He couldn't believe she was even thinking that she owed him anything. She'd already done so much for him.

"You don't owe me anything. There's nothing that I wouldn't do for you. I'm glad that you allowed me to encourage you and to be your cheerleader." He brushed some stray curls away from Stephanie's face and let out a long sigh. "You've helped me too, Dulzura so I guess I need to be thanking you. For the first time in a long time, I've felt like I had a purpose again in the company." Rodriguez looked down shyly but Stephanie saw the sad look on his face.

She knew what he was thinking, because the same thoughts once passed through her mind too. "Don't think like that. You have a purpose here." Stephanie elbowed him in the side and laughed as she said, "It's to drive me crazy with searches."

Rodriguez's full laugh filled the apartment and Stephanie joined him for several minutes. When they both sobered, he looked at Stephanie and smiled. "That's true Dulzura, but I'm thinking about retesting for field work. Seeing you do it gave me the boost I needed and I think I'm ready to go for it." Stephanie's full smile lit her face. She launched herself into his arms and hugged him tight.

"That's awesome, Dante! I know you can pass that shit!" Stephanie hugged him again. "I'm so excited for you!"

Dante chuckled and kissed Stephanie on the forehead. He noticed the packed bag on the floor and realized that he probably interrupted her private reunion with Ranger. "You better get upstairs, Dulzura. If the boss knows that I kept you from him then he might kill me before I can test." Stephanie giggled because she knew he was probably telling the truth.

"I think we're going offline for a week, but I'm sure we're just staying around the office so maybe I'll see you. If not, I'll see you next week when I get to start as a full-time RangeMan...errr, woman." Stephanie walked him to the door and Rodriguez hugged her again.

"Then I shall see you next week, Dulzura. Have fun with the boss." Walking out the door, Rodriguez laughed at the bright red blush covering her watched him walk down the hallway and thought that she couldn't have asked for a better friend.

After Rodriguez was out of sight, Stephanie grabbed her bags and made her way up to the seventh floor. She assumed that Ranger was still down on five talking with Tank, so she wasn't prepared for the arm to grab her the second she walked into the apartment. Ranger pushed the straps of her bags off her shoulders and pushed her against the wall beside the door. He traced his finger down her beautiful face while whispering, "Do you know how proud of you I am?"

Ranger's voice was soft and made Stephanie's stomach all mushy. She closed her eyes, relishing in his words. "Tank showed me your scores and all I can say is wow! Babe, you blew them out of the water!" Stephanie smiled and pressed a kiss to his open palm resting on her cheek. Ranger shuddered as her lips touched his skin. His moan was not missed by Stephanie, so she smiled and reached up to kiss his lips.

"The only thing I know is how much I want you...right now." Stephanie whispered against his lips. "I could feel you hard underneath me in the gym. Knowing that I affected you like that turned me on. I wanted to strip you down and fuck you on the mats." Ranger growled and attacked her lips with his. He forced his tongue inside her mouth and groaned when she stroked him through his pants.

*~* Smut *~*

He tore his lips away from hers and growled, "You keep that up, and I can't be held responsible for what happens next. I'm not sure I can be gentle, Babe." Ranger attacked her swollen lips again. His hand trailed down, under her pants and he felt just how wet she was for him. "Fuck Babe! You're killing me here."

His fingers stroked her lower lips and she groaned as he pushed a finger inside of her. "Screw gentle. I want you here and now!" Stephanie moaned the words out and Ranger took action. His hands pushed her pants off her body and then the tank-top disappeared. Her hands were frantically unbuttoning his pants and pushing them past his throbbing erection.

The second he was free, she wrapped her hands around him and began pumping him slowly. Ranger threw his head back and groaned deeply as her slim fingers slid over his shaft. His fingers were working inside of her causing her to whimper and moan and buck against his hand. Suddenly, he couldn't take anymore. He picked her up by the back of her thighs and pressed her into the wall. She wrapped her long legs around him and felt him poised perfectly at her entrance. He met no resistance as he slammed inside of her roughly. Stephanie gasped at the intrusion but welcomed him home.

Ranger pinned her hands in one of his against the wall. His other hand roughly pinched and pulled at her breasts and nipples. Her moans and whimpers encouraged his assault. He loved hearing those moans and they are what spurred him on. He pounded into her with a ferocity that he hadn't felt in years and from the look of sheer bliss on her face, she loved every second of it as her back slammed against the wall with each thrust.

All too soon, he felt her inner walls clench around his cock and knew that she was close to coming. His hand left her breasts and found her clit. He stroked her in time with his thrusts and it didn't take long before Stephanie was screaming his name as she came around him. He followed her a second later, growling his release into her neck as he spilled inside of her.

*~* End Smut *~*

Ranger's knees buckled and he gently lowered them to the floor. They were both panting and doing everything they could to calm their rapidly beating hearts. After several silent minutes, Ranger looked at the woman sitting in his lap and kissed her nose. "I love you, Stephanie."

Stephanie smiled and returned the kiss. "I love you too. I'm glad you're back. I missed you while you were gone." Ranger hugged her close and inhaled her unique scent. "I missed you too. But I'm back now and we've got a whole week to spend together."

"A whole week? Whatever will we do?" Ranger laughed and stroked her hair away from her face.

He wanted to take her to a far away island and spend the days making love on the sand, but he knew he needed to stay closer to Trenton. He decided at that second that he wanted to take her home. He wanted to show her where he lived and let her into his life fully. "How about we go to my house? If we stay here, we'll both end up working and I don't want that. Tell your mom that you're going out-of-town for a week and I'll tell Tank."

Stephanie's eyes grew wide. He was really going to take her to the bat cave? Ranger barked out a laugh and kissed her gently. "Yeah, Babe, I want to take you to the bat cave. Will you go with me?"

"You bet your hot ass I'll go with you! My stuff is already packed, so we can go whenever you want to." Stephanie made a move to stand up, but Ranger held her in his lap. Stephanie felt his cock twitch inside her and smiled at his darkened eyes. She could read the hunger beneath his look. "I guess we've got some time before we have to go, don't we?" Stephanie straddled his hips and began riding him slowly. Ranger's eyes rolled back in his head and he gripped her hips tightly with his hands.

Ranger let Stephanie take control and he was not disappointed. After they had both screamed their releases, Ranger held her close to his body and stroked her back. He loved the feel of her in his arms. He felt her breathing even out and knew that she had fallen asleep. He chuckled to himself as he stood up with her still in his arms. He carried her into his bedroom and crawled into bed behind her. A nap sounded good to him too.

Hours later, Stephanie woke up to a darkened apartment. She rolled over onto her back and saw two dark brown eyes looking at her. She smiled and reached up to cup his face. "Did you sleep?" Her voice, gravely from sleep, made Ranger smile. He kissed her palm and scooted closer to her.

"I did, for a few hours. I've only been awake about thirty minutes. I was just about to wake you up because Ella brought dinner." Ranger leaned down and kissed her. "Get up and put some clothes on so we can eat. Then we can shower and drive to the house." Stephanie smiled at the eye brow wiggle Ranger made when he mentioned showering. She watched Ranger's naked ass climb out of bed and walk out the bedroom door.

She climbed out of bed and made her way into the bathroom to clean up a little. When she was done, she fixed her wild hair as best she could before throwing on one of his large T-shirts. It would provide good enough cover during dinner. When she walked into the kitchen, Ranger was standing at the island wearing his pants from earlier. They were dangerously low on his hips and were unbuttoned. Moaning loudly, Stephanie walked into the kitchen.

"I'm going to pretend that moan was for the food, because if I thought otherwise then we wouldn't be eating anytime soon." Stephanie laughed and sat down at the table. Ranger brought her a plate loaded with shrimp in a lemon sauce and some pasta. He unfortunately had to listen as Stephanie moaned her way through the entire meal. He was uncomfortably hard the entire time, but he let her finish eating. The second her fork was licked clean of the dessert that came with her meal, he picked her up off the chair and walked toward the bathroom. "You have no idea how hard you make it for me to eat a meal with you."

Stephanie reached her hand down and stroked him, "I have a pretty good idea just how hard it is for you, Baby." Ranger sat her down by the shower and ripped the shirt off her. His pants hit the floor next and they spent the next two hours in the shower getting down and dirty before getting clean.

When both were sated and squeaky clean, they exited the shower together. "Are we going to your house tonight or tomorrow?" Stephanie asked while trying to wrangle her hair into a pony tail.

"I thought we'd go tonight. I can't wait for you to see it. You don't need to dress in anything special. Just throw on some yoga pants and a tank-top. Whatever you wear is going to be ripped off the second we get inside anyway." Stephanie flushed at his words and tried to hold back the moan, but she knew she failed when Ranger smiled at her.

Twenty minutes after leaving RangeMan, Stephanie saw the sign that they were entering Pennsylvania. Another ten minutes and they were pulling up to a gated house. Even though it was dark outside, Stephanie knew that they were in the country and the house looked huge from behind the gate.

Ranger entered the code and slowly drove up the long driveway. He parked in front of the two-story colonial style house and looked at Stephanie. Her mouth was hanging open in awe as she took in his house. "I take it that you approve?" Ranger chuckled and climbed out of the Turbo. He helped Stephanie out and went to the trunk to get their bags. Stephanie still stood staring at the house in front of her.

"I bought this about three years ago when I realized I probably would never leave Trenton." That got Stephanie's attention and she looked quizzically at him. "What do you mean?"

Ranger led Stephanie inside the front door and turned off the alarm before answering her. "When I started the Trenton branch, it was always my plan to leave it for Tank to run and go back to Miami. I never intended to stay here very long." Ranger put their bags by the stairs and turned on the lights in the living room and kitchen. Stephanie followed looking at everything while listening to him talk.

"So what made you change your mind?" Ranger let out a sigh and pointed to the fireplace located in the living room. She walked up to where he was pointing and looked at what he wanted her to see. Lined up on the mantel were pictures. Pictures of her! Stephanie's breath caught in her throat as she looked at each framed photograph. There were some of them together and some of just her. She was so lost in looking at them that she didn't hear Ranger walk up behind her.

Stephanie jumped and then settled into his arms as they wrapped around her waist. "You are what made me change my mind, Babe." Ranger placed a kiss behind her ear. "The night you called me to rescue you from your shower rod, I knew that I was attracted to you. God, you looked so hot standing there naked and angry!" Stephanie giggled remembering that night. She was hot, but it was because she was so attracted to him. "I decided that night to stick around Trenton for a while. I found this house and the rest, as they say, is history."

"Where did all these pictures come from? I recognize some of them, but I don't remember there being a camera close by." Stephanie looked at the pictures again. She picked up her favorite one and she could remember that day.

"That one is my favorite. It was right after you came back from Vegas. You and I were talking outside the bonds office and Santos was in the SUV waiting for me. He took that picture with his cell phone and it was the first time that I saw what everyone else could. It showed me that I wasn't hiding my feelings for you very well and it was the first time I really saw the way you looked at me too. I have spent hours staring at this picture." Ranger traced Stephanie's face in the photo. She was looking up with him with a small smirk on her face and his face held a half-smile as he looked down at her. They were close, lips almost touching. But, the love oozing between them was evident even on the glossy paper.

Ranger took the picture out of her hands and put it back on the mantle. "The rest of the pictures came from either the guys' cell phones or security cameras. You would be amazed how many pictures they would send me. They kept telling me to go make you mine."

Ranger fell quiet and squeezed Stephanie tighter in his arms. They were quiet for several minutes, just enjoying being together. Stephanie's voice broke the silence. "Was it the guys that finally made you tell me the truth? If it was, I need to thank them."

"It wasn't the guys." Ranger's voice was barely a whisper. He sighed knowing that she was going to ask who it was then and he wasn't ready to tell her about his discussion with Morelli. Stephanie shocked him when she asked, "Joe?"

It was more a statement than a question. Stephanie knew Joe had gone to talk to Ranger the night they broke up. She didn't know how she knew, but she just did.

"Yes, it was Joe. He really does care about you. He wants you to be happy even if it wasn't with him." Stephanie smiled to herself. She would need to find a way to thank Joe after they got back to Trenton. "He helped me realize that it was okay to love you and that I needed to tell you."

Stephanie turned around in his arms and kissed him deeply. She had a question that she wanted answered and hoped that he would oblige her. "So when did you know that you loved me?" Ranger smiled down at her and kissed her on the tip of her nose.

"That's easy! It was when you called me during the Ramos mess. Everyone else that called me tried to tell me to turn myself in or wanted to know if it was true. Even Tank called me to say it was best if I just came in. You were the only person who called JUST to see if I was okay. That caring act made me fall in love with you." Stephanie melted into his embrace and smiled.

"It didn't matter to me if you did it or not. All that mattered to me is that you were okay. Even then I knew I needed you in my life." Stephanie stood on her tip-toes and kissed Ranger on his lips. It was his turn to ask her the same question.

"So when did you know you loved me?" Stephanie blushed and buried her head in his chest.

"That's not so easy for me. I knew you were important to me, but I lived in denial for so long. I used your words to convince myself that we would never be together. So, I told myself that I didn't have the right to love you. If I was honest, I would say that I loved you from the beginning. I finally stepped out of denial and admitted it to myself during the Scrog fiasco. I didn't think twice when you asked me for help. It didn't matter that I could get hurt or killed. All that mattered to me was that you needed me, and I was going to be there for you." Ranger hugged her close, remembering that time. He'd never been that scared before in his entire life. He was worried about his daughter, but he was terrified that something would happen to Stephanie.

Stephanie felt his tension as he remembered what happened that night. She remembered seeing him walk through her door and then saw him getting shot. She had never been so terrified for someone before. She just knew, watching him fall, that he was dead and her heart broke. In that instant, she knew that she loved him more than anyone and Stephanie knew that she would never be able to live without him in her life.

Ranger noticed the tear fall and gently swiped it off her face. He looked into her eyes and his breath caught in his throat. He knew she was remembering what happened in her apartment with Scrog and he hated that she had to go through that. He saw the fear in her eyes that night and he tried to tell her that it would all be okay, but all that went through his mind as he looked into her eyes that night was, 'I love you'.

"No more denying it now, huh? For either of us," Ranger's voice was whisper soft.

Stephanie looked into his eyes and could read all of his emotions. She saw all his love for her and it made her heart swell. "No more denial. I love you, Carlos Manoso."

"And I love you, Stephanie Plum. I will spend the rest of my life proving to you just how much I love you. I want us to experience so many things together and it all starts right now. I don't ever want to spend a day without you beside me. I want to wake up in your arms every morning and fall asleep holding you at night." Stephanie attacked his lips after hearing his confession. She'd wanted to hear those words from him for a long time and now that she had, she needed him more than ever.

That was the last time either of them talked that night. Ranger picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom where they spent the entire night making love and showing each other the true depth of their feelings.

The next morning, Stephanie woke up before Ranger. She was draped over his chest and his hand rested on her naked ass. She was able to look at him in the morning light and saw that he actually looked happy. He was relaxed and his lips were turned up slightly. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him look this way and maybe he never had. She watched as his smile grew and she knew that he was awake. His eyes finally opened and looked into her baby blues.

"I've never looked this happy before because I've never before been this happy. I have you in my life now, so I've got reasons to smile." Stephanie grinned and stretched up to kiss his lips. "I'm happy too, Carlos. I never thought this would happen. I never thought I could be this happy." Ranger kissed her again and was about to really turn up the heat when Stephanie's stomach let loose with a loud grumble. They both chuckled as they pulled apart.

"Come on, Babe. Let's feed your beast, so we can feed mine!" He wiggled his eyebrows at her and climbed out of bed. Stephanie watched him disappear into the bathroom and let out a long sigh. She thought about the night before and smiled. Ranger had been amazing and she knew that if something happened to her, she could die happy with the knowledge that he really did love her.

* * *

A/N - Alright...moment of truth. Good, bad, ugly, perfect or lovely...I don't care. Let me know what you thought. The next chapter should be up on Monday. I think we've got one or two more chapters until the shoe drops! Stay tuned for some drama! : )


	9. Dating Game

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

I am so blown away from your reviews! I'm nearly giddy that you all are liking this story so much! If I missed responding to your review, then I am terribly sorry. To all my guest reviews...thank you!** All** of you are what keeps me going.

Potterwench, my beta extraordinaire...couldn't do this without you girl! Love ya!

* * *

**Chapter 9 - Dating Game**

Ranger and Stephanie spent most of the week at his house. The days were spent talking and sharing stories about their pasts. Stephanie was amazed at just how much Ranger opened up to her. He told her everything about him, from his time in the gang, to living in Miami with his grandmother. He even told her all about meeting Rachel and what happened with their marriage. Ranger told her about his dreams and what he wanted to do with RangeMan. He shared so much of himself during that week that Stephanie no longer considered him the man of mystery.

On Wednesday morning, Ranger woke Stephanie up with gentle kisses all over her face. Once she was awake, he slipped inside of her and made slow tender love to her. They both came with shudders and whimpers and then held each other as the tears fell. Neither of them had ever experienced anything close to what they had just shared together with anyone else. Ranger kissed her tears away and held her close, never wanting to let her go.

He knew they were scheduled to return to Trenton on Sunday night, and he wanted to take her out on a date before then. He wanted to show the world that Stephanie Plum belonged to him. "Babe, what do you say we get out tonight? I'll make reservations for us at Rossini's." Stephanie smiled brightly at him.

"Are you asking me out on a date, Mr. Manoso?" Ranger chuckled and brushed her hair out of her face.

"I am asking you out on a date, Ms. Plum. Will you do me the honor of accompanying me? Maybe after dinner we can go dancing or to a movie, whatever you want to do, Babe."

"I would love to go out with you. Dinner sounds amazing, but are you sure you want to go to the Burg? There would be no hiding our relationship once we step out together at Rossini's."

Ranger didn't even hesitate to answer. "I'm positive about my choice of Rossini's. I want the world to know that you are mine. I want the Burg to gossip about us and for your mother to get calls. Is that what you want, Babe?" Stephanie jumped up and straddled his waist. She kissed him with every ounce of love she had for him. "I want that, Carlos. I really, really want that."

They stayed in bed for a few more hours talking. Stephanie's stomach voiced its hunger and they both crawled out of bed with a chuckle. As they were eating, Stephanie realized she had nothing to wear for a date and looked at Ranger with panic filled eyes.

"I need to go shopping! I need a dress to wear tonight. I didn't bring anything with me good enough to go out with you!" Ranger laughed and placed his finger on her lips to quiet her tirade.

"We can head to the mall after we eat. There's one about thirty minutes away." Stephanie looked visibly relieved and it made Ranger chuckle again. "I knew better than to buy a house without a mall close. Even though we're in the country, we're still close enough to a large town for you to feel comfortable."

Stephanie laughed out loud, finished eating and then walked around to straddle Ranger's lap in the chair. "Thank you for thinking of me when you bought this place. I love it! It's secluded, but it's not. It's perfect for us." She kissed Ranger deeply. She pulled away before they lost themselves in the kiss. "I'm going to go shower. You want to join me so we can conserve water?" Ranger grinned at Stephanie's question and stood up with her still in his arms. He carried her into the bathroom and proceeded to help her get dirty first and then clean.

An hour and a half later, Ranger pulled into a front parking spot at the local Macy's. Stephanie rolled her eyes as she climbed out of the turbo. Ranger met her in front of the car and took her hand as they walked into the store.

Stephanie went directly to the dress section and started looking. She wasn't having any luck when Ranger brought over the perfect dress for her. It was cobalt blue and she knew it would fit her perfectly. "Try this one Babe. The minute I saw it I knew it would be perfect on you." Stephanie grabbed the dress and pulled Ranger toward the dressing room. He sat in the 'husband' chair as she tried on the dress. She slipped it on and instantly felt sexy as sin.

The dress hugged her curves expertly and hit her mid-thigh. It made her breasts look a size bigger and made her legs look even longer. She knew once she slipped her feet into a pair of FMP's, she was going to look incredible. She didn't want to show Ranger how she looked before she had the complete outfit, so she slipped out of the dress and put her normal clothes back on.

Ranger smiled to himself when she handed the dress to the sales associate and told her to hold it behind the counter for her. He knew it was time to go get shoes. Stephanie instantly found the perfect pair. They were the same color blue with an ankle strap. They felt comfortable when she put them on and knew they'd look amazing with the dress.

After Ranger paid for the dress and shoes, they headed into the mall to Stephanie's favorite store. She asked Ranger to wait outside while she went in to shop. She wanted to surprise him tonight with the latest Victoria's Secret lingerie. She purchased several sets of bras and panties along with a naughty nightie that she knew would be ripped off her the second Ranger saw it. She carried her big bag of goodies out to where Ranger was waiting for her.

His eyes darkened when he took in the size of the bag. "Anything in there for me?" His voice was husky and it made her shiver. "You'd look pretty funny wearing the stuff in this bag, but you could give it a shot if you'd like." Ranger laughed out loud causing everyone around him to stop and look. One poor woman stumbled and fell into a nearby fountain. Stephanie rolled her eyes and hurried her Cuban God out of the mall before any other poor women met their doom from his smile.

Stephanie decided on an afternoon of pampering when they got back to the house. She locked the bathroom door and filled the gigantic tub with water and bubbles. She spent about an hour relaxing in the water before lathering up to shave. Once everything was silky smooth, she drained the water and moved to the shower. She exfoliated and buffed everything and put a deep conditioner into her hair. She checked the time when she got out and panicked when she realized she only had an hour before Ranger was supposed to pick her up from the bedroom.

Ranger had taken his clothes to a guest room before Stephanie had locked him out. He spent the time she was in the bath checking in with RangeMan. He knew he was supposed to be offline, but that didn't mean he wasn't curious about the business. Tank's voice boomed over the phone line, "Yo!"

"Hey man, give me a quick report." Ranger could feel Tank roll his eyes.

"You're supposed to be enjoying your offline time."

"Just report and don't worry about it."

"Everything is running smoothly. There was a break-in last night at the Ford estate. We responded and caught the suspect trying to break into the safe. Nothing was stolen and the customer was happy with our service. He's going to call us next week to look at his warehouse's security. Rodriguez came to talk to me about going back into the field. He's testing with Bobby tomorrow, but I think he'll pass. He asked to be Stephanie's partner. I told him that would have to be approved by you and be okay with her. What do you think?" Ranger thought about what Tank asked. He knew Rodriguez was a good man. He was good at his job and he trusted him with his life, but could he trust him with his Babe?

"I'll talk about it with her on the way back to Trenton. Let me see what his scores are tomorrow." Tank made a gruff sound in his throat. He knew his boss was having some issues about who to partner Stephanie with. Tank knew the only way Ranger would feel one-hundred percent comfortable is if he partnered with Steph himself, which Tank knew wasn't a good idea.

"Sounds good, but for the record, I think they would be great partners. He's a new man after hanging around our little girl. You're going to be impressed when you see him in action again."

"That everything going on?" Ranger didn't want to discuss Rodriguez and his Babe anymore.

"Affirmative, Bossman!"

"Good. I'm taking Steph to Rossini's tonight. Give me two men outside around 1900. I don't want any interruptions."

"I'll send Santos and Brown. Are you going anywhere after dinner?" Tank smiled. He was proud of Ranger for finally pulling his head out of his ass and taking charge with Stephanie. She deserved to be wined and dined.

"We'll play it by ear. Tell them to tail us after dinner. If we head back here, they can go back to the office."

"10-4 boss. Have a good night!"

"I intend to." Ranger ended the call and smiled at his thoughts. He intended to have a very good night.

Ranger glanced at the clock and decided to head upstairs to get ready. He heard the hair dryer going in the master bedroom and smiled to himself. He could see his Babe frantically trying to tame her wild mass of curls. He didn't know how she did it, but she always seemed to get them to lie perfectly.

He took a fast shower and dressed in his black Hugo Boss suit. Ranger chose to wear a blue shirt to add a little color to his outfit. The shirt matched the dress that Stephanie was wearing and he knew she would be more than happy to see him in something other than black.

Stephanie was frantically trying to finish getting ready before Ranger came for her. She slipped into the pale blue lace bra and panty set. She put on a pair of thigh highs and then slid into the dress. She felt amazing in the soft fabric. Once she put the shoes on and took a look at herself in the mirror, her breath caught in her throat. She almost didn't recognize herself. Her hair fell perfectly in soft curls around her face and she had gone light on the make-up. She was applying a coat of lip gloss when she heard the knock at the door. She grabbed her purse and went to open the door.

Ranger stopped breathing when he saw her. She was beyond gorgeous. Stephanie started to get nervous when he didn't say anything. He watched her bite her lip and look down. He immediately stepped up and raised her face so he could look into her eyes. "You're gorgeous, Stephanie." She smiled at him and blushed.

"Thank you. You look incredible too. You're wearing blue!" Her voice was incredulous. Ranger laughed and kissed her tenderly.

"Yum! Is that cherry?" Stephanie smiled as he licked his lips tasting her lip gloss. "You ready to go, Babe?"

"Absolutely!" Stephanie checked her reflection one more time before taking Ranger's hand and following him out to the garage. He chose to take the Cayenne and helped her into the passenger seat giving her a kiss before walking to the driver's side.

The drive to Trenton was quiet. Ranger was in his zone and Stephanie looked at the scenery as it flew by her window. She couldn't believe that she was on a date with Ranger. It was like her greatest dream was coming true. She hated to think negatively, but she was sadly waiting for the other shoe to drop. She just knew something was going to happen and ruin her happiness.

"Babe? You okay?" Stephanie looked over at Ranger and smiled. She hadn't realized that they'd arrived at the restaurant and blushed at his questioning gaze.

"I'm fine. Just in la la land I guess." Ranger took her hand and kissed it before getting out of the car. He brushed off the valet that was about to open her door, helped his Babe out of the vehicle and growled as the valet made a comment about her under his breath. Stephanie giggled as the valet paled and hopped into the driver's side of the SUV. She was pretty sure the guy wasn't getting a tip.

Ranger and Stephanie were led to a back table. Ranger helped Stephanie into her seat and then sat right beside her. He took her hand in his and placed a kiss on her knuckles. She heard whispers and even the click of a few camera phones, but she didn't care. Her phone was off, so she didn't care who was saying what about her and Ranger. Ranger's smirk told her that he didn't care either.

The waitress came to take their dinner orders and totally ignored Stephanie. Her chest was shoved into Ranger's face multiple times though. He didn't even look twice at her and kept his hand resting on Stephanie's thigh to calm her, as she was quickly approaching rhino mode and he didn't want a scene. After Ranger had placed their orders the waitress left their table, but not before sending a glare towards Stephanie.

Ranger felt Stephanie sigh and squeezed her thigh. He leaned over to whisper into her ear, "You've got nothing to worry about, Babe. You're the only one that I want." He kissed her on her neck and smiled as she shivered.

"I know, it's just she's so obvious and rude. It's not like you're sitting here alone. I mean, I'm sure as hell not your sister." Ranger laughed at the obvious jealousy oozing out of his Babe. Stephanie heard a crash and saw that their waitress had dropped the tray holding their drinks all over another couple. Her boss came out, apologized and fired the girl instantly. He then assigned a male waiter to their table who took too much interest in Stephanie's cleavage. He brought their drinks to their table and left quickly when Ranger glared at him.

Stephanie giggled and patted Ranger's hand. "You've got nothing to worry about, Babe. You're the only one that I want." Ranger smirked as she used his earlier words on him. Stephanie batted her eyelashes at him which made him smile bigger.

"You're one of a kind, Babe. And that's why I love you." Ranger leaned over and kissed Stephanie on the lips. They both heard camera phones clicking but neither cared. They were lost in each other, when a familiar voice interrupted their kiss.

"Jeeze Cupcake, do you two have a room?" Stephanie pulled away and smiled at Joe. He was standing in front of them with a gorgeous blonde woman on his arm. Stephanie recognized her immediately from High School.

"Hi Joe, Hannah, it's good to see you again." Hannah didn't smile back and she clutched onto Joe possessively. "Have you met Carlos Manoso? He's my..." Stephanie looked at him with a curious look.

Ranger smiled at her and stood up to offer Hannah his hand. "Her boyfriend. It's nice to meet you Hannah." She smiled brightly at Ranger and shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you. Joey has told me so much about you that I feel like I already know you." Ranger glanced at Joe who just shrugged and smirked. "Stephanie, it's good to see you again, too. Our table is ready, Joey." Joe took the hint and nodded to the couple before following his date to their table.

Ranger took Stephanie's hand in his and rubbed it gently. "You okay Babe?" They hadn't talked much about Joe so he wasn't sure what her reaction would be seeing him with another woman.

"I'm fine. Joe already told me that he asked Hannah out months ago. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't propose to her soon. They're perfect together."

"Propose? They just started dating!" Ranger was shocked that Stephanie would even suggest that the new couple would be getting married.

Stephanie shrugged and giggled. "I know the look on his face and she's been in love with him since high school. Joe and I had dinner together week before last and he couldn't stop talking about her." Ranger looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He hadn't heard that she was eating dinner with Joe before he got back. "Don't look at me like that. Joe is still a friend and yes, he and I occasionally had dinner together while you were gone."

Ranger let out a small sigh and kissed her hand again. "I'm sorry. I'm just used to reacting that way when I think about you and him together." Stephanie scooted closer to him and took his face in her hands.

"You have nothing to worry about. Joe and I were over before you and I got together. I've finally got you and I'm not going to let you go. You're going to have to kill me if you want to get rid of me." She smiled at him before kissing him tenderly. Their dinners arrived at the table interrupting a kiss between them once again.

They talked while they ate their meals. Stephanie thought it was possible that she knew everything about Ranger, but decided to test her theory.

"Tell me something that I don't know about you, Carlos." Ranger smiled with his fork in his mouth when she called him by his first name. He had told her a lot about himself over the past few days, but he still had some hidden gems.

"When I was in fourth grade, I thought I was cool stuff. I was skinny and had long hair and braces, but I still thought I was tough. One day at recess, I decided to show off my tetherball skills. There was a girl that I wanted to impress and she usually hung around the tetherball court." Ranger let out a sigh and shook his head. He remembered this like it was yesterday. "So there I was, hitting this stupid yellow ball around the pole. The girl, Jasmine, was watching me with a smile on her face. A fifth grader challenged me to a match so I puffed up my chest and told him to bring it. He did. On the first serve, I missed the ball and it hit me right in the mouth, hard." Stephanie burst out laughing. She couldn't help it. Ranger lowered his head and shook it.

"My braces cut my lip and the ball knocked me to the ground. So there I was bleeding and dirty with everyone laughing at me. Jasmine looked at me with pity before walking away with the fifth grader." Ranger looked at her as she laughed at his embarrassment.

"Awwww...I'm sorry, Baby, but I can't help it. I can see you acting all tough and then WHAM!" Ranger started chuckling along with Stephanie because that was exactly how it happened. They finished their meals as they talked about embarrassing stories from their younger years. Stephanie couldn't remember the last time she laughed so much and she NEVER saw Ranger laugh for so long.

After their meals were gone, Ranger ordered dessert for Stephanie and watched in fascination and horror as she moaned her way through the tiramisu. "What do you want to do after dinner, Babe? Go to a movie, go dancing?" Stephanie thought about it for a second and knew exactly what she wanted to do.

"Can we just go back to the house and maybe put some music on there? I just want to be alone with you, Carlos." Ranger smiled and motioned for the check. When the waiter brought it to the table, Ranger threw some bills in the little black book and stood up. He wanted nothing more than to be alone with his Babe, too.

At a nearby table, Joe sat watching the interaction between his ex-girlfriend and the guy she loved. Hannah was chatting about something but Joe couldn't take his eyes off Stephanie. He'd never seen her so happy. Hannah caught what he was looking at and got a little miffed.

"Are you going to pay any attention to me tonight, Joey? Or are you going to stare at Stephanie?" Joe looked at his companion and gave her his bedroom smile.

"Sorry, Baby. I'm just not used to seeing her so happy. And I've never seen Manoso smile, let alone laugh. I'm just trying to decide if we're in the Twilight Zone or not." Hannah couldn't help but look at the other couple. She had to admit that the man was stupidly good-looking and Stephanie had never looked better. She always hated Stephanie Plum simply because she had Joe's attention. Now that Joe was hers, Hannah shouldn't have a problem with Stephanie, but she still did.

"Its okay, Joey, I know she is important to you." Hannah sighed and turned her attention to the food sitting in front of her.

"She was important to me and now, she's a friend. You are more important to me though." Joe wiped a blonde lock away from her face and smiled at her. Hannah melted and smiled back. Their attention was drawn back to the quickly retreating backs of Stephanie and Ranger.

"They really do make a ridiculously good-looking couple. It should be against the law to look that good." Hannah shook her head as she spoke. "Their kids are going to be gorgeous." Joe nodded his head in agreement and watched Stephanie and Ranger walk out of the restaurant. Seeing them together only emphasized what he already knew. They were meant to be together and nothing was going to tear them apart.

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A/N - There ya have it. A little fluff before the angst comes. There's one more chapter like this...I really wanted Ranger and Stephanie to have some fun together before disaster...and then we get back into the story. I hope you all enjoyed it because it's about to get rocky. Don't forget to leave me a review. Good, bad or ugly...your choice!


	10. Meeting of Souls

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all for the review and favorite/follows! I hope I responded to everyone this time, if not. I apologize! For all my guest reviewers...thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Potterwench...even though you're busy, you still take the time to read over my dribble. Thank you for everything you do for me!

Okay! I totally spaced yesterday and forgot to post this chapter! It's been one of those weeks I guess. Anyway...as the saying goes...Better late than never. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 10 - Meeting of Souls**

Alone in the house, Ranger and Stephanie sat on the couch sipping wine. There was soft music playing and they were just enjoying each other's company while they talked. Stephanie knew she would never get tired of hearing him talk. "What are you thinking about, Babe?" Ranger looked deep into her eyes, searching for her inner most thoughts.

"I was thinking about how different you've been the past few days. You've talked and told me things about your past. I no longer think of you as the man of mystery." Ranger smiled at her. He was happy to learn new things about her too. She had kept little parts secret and she openly shared them with him.

"I promised you that I would open up and I am. I want you to know everything about me, Stephanie. I want you to love the real me and that includes all these silly stories from my past." He traced a finger down her face.

Stephanie scooted over and straddled his lap. Her dress rode up on her legs and his warm hands rested on her bare thighs. "I do love you, Ranger. I love all of you. I love the man of mystery." She kissed his forehead. "I love corporate Ranger." She kissed his eyes. "I love Batman." She kissed his nose. "I love Bounty Hunter Ranger." She kissed his cheek. "I love Stark Street Ranger." She kissed his jaw. "I love the Abercrombie Ranger." She kissed his chin. "I love naked Ranger." She kissed his lips. "And I love Carlos Manoso, too. I love all of you. Your past, present and future, I love it all." Ranger attacked her lips with his when she stopped talking, but she didn't let him get lost in the kiss.

"What's your favorite personality of mine?" Ranger asked with a raised eye brow.

"Hmmm...Naked Ranger is pretty good, but I think I like Carlos the best. He's everything I've ever dreamed of and I'm pretty sure I can get him naked whenever I want." Ranger smiled at her.

"Name the time and place and I can guarantee you a naked Carlos." Strands from a familiar song met Ranger's ears and he knew what he wanted to do. He stood up from the couch with Stephanie and took her hand in his. "Dance with me Babe?"

Stephanie put her hand in his and let him lead her around the coffee table. He took her into his arms as the melody of "Endless Love" filled the room. Stephanie melted into his embrace as they swayed to the music. She barely heard him singing the lyrics to her. The deep cadence of his voice was hypnotic and the words washed over her.

"Two hearts, Two hearts that beat as one. Our lives have just begun..." Stephanie consciously rested her head over Ranger's heart and sure enough, their hearts were beating in sync. Stephanie closed her eyes as Ranger sang the rest of the song to her. She listened to the words because she knew he meant ever word that he sang.

After the song ended, another one came on and they continued dancing. The words of the song didn't matter to them anymore. Their hearts were communicating their feelings silently and neither of them wanted to break the spell. Eventually Ranger danced them to the stairs and with one press from a remote panel, he turned off the lights along with the radio and set the alarm. In one swift swoop he picked Stephanie up and carried her up the stairs, right to the bedroom.

Ranger sat her down on her feet by the bed and gently kissed her. When she pulled away, she started to speak, but he held up his finger to her lips. She understood his command to not speak and placed a kiss on his finger instead. His eyes were dark as he looked at his love. He gently caressed her face and then ran his hands down her arms. His hands met hers and he gently brought them to his mouth for a light kiss on each knuckle.

*~* Smut Warning *~*

He released her hands and went back to touching her face. He placed a kiss on her forehead and then moved his lips down as his hand unzipped her dress at the same time. He pushed the sleeves down her arms and watched the piece of fabric flutter to the floor. Ranger took a step back and gazed at the beautiful woman in front of him.

Stephanie watched in anticipation as Ranger's eyes darkened even more as he looked at her in the bra and panties. She knew she looked good, but having him look at her the way he was, did amazing things for her ego. Ranger stepped close to her again and ran his finger across the scrap of material on top of her breasts. Stephanie shuddered as his finger brushed across her already pebbled nipples. Ranger smirked and bent his head to take one into his mouth over the bra.

Needing more contact though, his hands went behind her back to release the snaps on her bra. He didn't want anything between them any longer. Stephanie's bra disappeared and soon Ranger's hot mouth was laving one of her breasts as his hand caressed the other. Stephanie's head was thrown back in ecstasy as she arched her chest into him more.

After several torturous minutes, Ranger released her breasts and moved further down her body. Stephanie stood still as his lips and hands caressed her stomach. His tongue traced the outline of her abs as his hands pulled down the panties. She stepped out of them and groaned when she felt his hot breath on her core. His tongue snaked out and licked her slit bottom to top. He stopped briefly to suck her clit into his mouth. When he realized that he didn't have full access to her, he picked up her left leg and draped it over his shoulder.

She was open and exposed to him with her leg like that. He looked up her body into her eyes and smirked at the look of desire staring back at him. Ranger returned his attention back to her soaking wet lower lips and licked her again from bottom to top. He nipped her clit on this pass and then sucked it into his mouth again. Stephanie moaned and threaded her fingers through his short hair. While his mouth was paying attention to her clit, Ranger slipped one long, thick finger inside of her. Her hips bucked slightly, but his other arm snaked around and pressed her hips closer into his face so that she couldn't move.

He continued to assault her with his mouth and fingers. Her moans were becoming louder and her whimpers were driving him crazy. He upped the number of fingers inside of her and increased the pace. He needed her to cum because he needed to be inside her. He could feel her inner walls clenching around his finger and he knew she was close. He added a third finger and made a come here motion inside her while biting down on her clit.

Stephanie shattered on his face. She screamed his name and held his face tight into her as she came, hard. She felt him stroking inside of her as she came down from her orgasm. When she had control of her breathing again, she looked down at the man kneeling in front of her. His face was turned up to look at her and his eyes like two lumps of the darkest coal.

Ranger lowered her leg silently and stood up in front of her. He took her face in between his hands and kissed her deeply. She moaned into his mouth as she tasted her own juices on his tongue. Hearing her moan spurred Ranger into action.

He kicked off his shoes and then unbuttoned his pants as Stephanie slowly worked the buttons on his shirt. Stephanie pushed the open shirt off his muscular shoulders and let it fall to the floor. She walked around behind him and placed a kiss in between his shoulder blades. She felt him shudder and smiled against his skin. Her hands slid inside his open pants and pushed them down his hips. She let her nails scrape against the skin on his hips as she pulled them back up.

Stephanie walked back around him and ran her nails down his chest, stopping to scrape over his nipples. Ranger groaned and let his head fall back. Stephanie took the opportunity to kiss his newly exposed neck. Ranger groaned again. Stephanie smiled against his skin and began to kiss down his chest. She had a destination in mind and wasn't going to be deterred.

It was her turn to trace his abs with her tongue and then trailed her tongue to the object of her affection. Her eyes locked with his as she took his head into her mouth. His eyes never left hers as she licked her way down his shaft and then back up. She then took him into her mouth, sucking lightly. Ranger closed his eyes, finally, when he felt his cock hit the back of her throat. He felt her open wider and take him further in. She swallowed and then slowly pulled him back out.

Ranger knew that if she kept it up, he'd blow and then he wouldn't get to fuck her like he needed to so he gently pulled her back up to stand in front of him. She tried to resist at first, but then looked into his eyes and saw exactly what she needed. Stephanie let him pull her up and then he lowered her onto the bed.

She positioned herself in the middle of the mattress as Ranger came down on top of her, kissing her deeply and moaning into her mouth when his cock brushed against her wet core. She was beyond ready for him and he slipped inside of her easily. When their hips were flush against each other, Ranger stilled so that he could gain some control back. She felt too damn good and he was so close to coming.

Stephanie gave him all the time he needed and simply kissed and nipped her way across his jaw and shoulder. She settled her lips on his pulse point and sucked gently inciting a moan from her lover. Ranger began to slowly move inside her. He pulled almost completely out and then slid slowly back inside. His agonizingly slow pace was sheer torture for both of them but they loved every minute of it.

Ranger kept his strokes slow and deep. No matter what Stephanie did to try to get him to speed up, he would simply kiss her deeply and continue to stroke slowly inside of her. He was in no hurry and she knew he could keep up this pace for hours. At one point, Stephanie's eyes closed from the feelings coursing through her. Ranger stopped moving all together until her eyes opened again. His dark orbs met her blue ones and she understood the unspoken request. He wanted her to keep her eyes open at all costs. Stephanie nodded her understanding slightly and Ranger restarted his strokes.

People say that actions speak louder than words. That night, Stephanie and Ranger put that theory to the test. Neither of them had said a word since they left the living room downstairs. They let their bodies and their hearts speak for them. Even though the words weren't said, neither of them doubted the other's devotion or love.

Stephanie's body was on fire. She'd never been taken to such amazing heights during sex. Every inch of her skin felt like lava and if Ranger didn't let her cum soon, she thought she might die. The burning inside her stomach was almost painful. Ranger read her thoughts and smiled down at her. He was in just as much pain as she was and he was ready to end their agony.

Ranger pulled Stephanie's legs up around his waist and tilted her hips slightly so that he could go deeper inside of her. Stephanie whimpered at the change of position. She knew what was coming and as much as she was enjoying their love making, she was looking forward to the big finish. Ranger increased his speed and twisted his hips slightly so that with each thrust, his cock brushed her g-spot. He could feel her inner walls clenching around him, trying desperately to hold him inside. He was so close to coming and knew that she was too. Her moans and whimpers drove him wild.

Finally it happened and they flew over the edge together. Stephanie's orgasm ripped through her, making her cry out in sheer bliss. It felt like every molecule in her body tingled and burst all at the same time. Lights erupted behind her eyes, but she kept them locked on Ranger's.

Ranger felt her walls clench and spasm around him and with one last powerful stroke; he whispered her name as he emptied himself inside of her. He had never felt such a powerful orgasm. He kept his eyes on hers, watching her climax was an amazing experience and he didn't want to miss a thing. He watched her eyes fill with tears and then felt the moisture on his own cheek.

Stephanie held onto him as his strokes started slowing, both of them riding out the last of their orgasms. When they'd both recovered, Ranger collapsed on top of her. He tried to roll off immediately, but she held him close. She loved feeling his weight on her and didn't want to lose that feeling anytime soon.

*~* End Smut *~*

All too soon, though, Ranger released from her grasp and rolled onto his back. Stephanie went with him and curled up against his side. Ranger absent-mindedly stroked her back as they both thought about what they'd just experienced. Neither had ever had a night of passion like the one they had just shared. They both knew that it wasn't just their hearts that joined that night. Their souls met and mated. They were forever joined together as one.

After hours of silence, Stephanie barely heard Ranger's whispered words. "I love you, Babe. Today, tomorrow, forever...you are mine." She felt him kiss her on her sweaty head and she let out a long sigh of contentment. "I love you too, Carlos. I will love you until the day I die. Nothing will change that." Ranger smiled and kissed her head again. He felt her breathing even out and once he knew she was asleep, he followed her into oblivion.

The rest of the week passed in a blur of lazy days and passion filled nights. When Sunday rolled around, Ranger and Stephanie packed up their belongings and loaded them into the Turbo. Stephanie took one last look at the house before climbing into the car. She felt two strong arms circle around her. "We can come back anytime you want to, Babe. You can even come without me. You know the codes."

"I know, and I'm happy about going back to Trenton. As good as it was being here with you, I miss the guys and I'm ready to start working." Ranger laughed and kissed her on the head before helping her into the car.

He got into the driver's seat and before long they were headed back toward Trenton. When they were about halfway there, Ranger broke his driving zone silence. "Who would you like to partner with, Babe? All of the guys would love the chance, but I wanted you to pick who you think you would work best with." Stephanie looked at him with both eye brows raised. He chuckled and shook his head.

"I haven't thought about it. I just assumed that I would get whoever didn't already have a partner. You're saying I get to pick?" Stephanie got excited thinking about that.

"Yeah, Babe in fact, Tank's already gotten a request from someone." Ranger said with a smirk.

"Really? Who?" Ranger glanced at her. She was almost bouncing in excitement.

"Rodriguez." Stephanie turned to Ranger and smiled, brightly. Ranger caught her look and raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't seem too surprised about that. He hasn't done field work in years; but according to Tank, he asked to be put back into the field. He has to re-qualify with Bobby, but as long as his scores are good, he should have no problems stepping back into that role."

Stephanie smiled proudly. She was happy for Dante. "He told me the day that I tested that he thought he was ready to go back out. I know his scores will be good enough and I know he'll make a damn good partner. I just don't know why he wants to partner with me." They were quiet for several miles, each lost in their thoughts.

Ranger wanted to know exactly what happened between Rodriguez and Stephanie while he was gone. Rodriguez was a shell of his former self when Ranger left on the mission, and now he seemed to be back to the guy Ranger once knew. He and the guys tried for years to bring him out of his shell, but were unsuccessful. Stephanie did what none of them could do. If Ranger didn't love her before that, he would have fallen for her then. "You helped him and he really respects you for that. Something happened on a mission that changed him, but the man I saw during your testing was the Rodriguez I remember. I think you two would be good together. What do you think?" Stephanie caught the look of regret that passed Ranger's eyes when he mentioned the mission.

"I would love to work with him. He helped me more than anyone really knows during my training." Ranger raised a brow at her. He only knew what little Tank told him about their relationship and he was curious. "He was...is a great friend. When I wanted to give up because I didn't think I was good enough, he didn't let me. He helped me realize that I was capable of doing it and that I was exactly what you needed. He told me the story about what happened to him." Stephanie looked at Ranger as he drove. She saw his jaw clench and knew he held some of the blame for what happened. "You're a good man, Ranger. You brought him back from the edge and he respects you greatly for that. I'm going to tell you what I told him. Nothing that happened on the mission is your fault. Nothing that he chose to do after that is your fault."

Ranger was silent for several miles thinking about what she said. He knew nothing that happened was his fault, but he still felt responsible. He was the commander and did everything he could to guarantee the safety of his men. One of them died on that assignment and he nearly lost another one. He might not be at fault, but that didn't stop the guilt from eating away at him.

Stephanie could see his thoughts and her heart broke for him. She didn't know how to help him so she just decided to love him…no matter what. Stephanie picked up his hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed each of his fingers before kissing his open palm and then threading their fingers together. Ranger brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles before resting their joined hands on his thigh. "Thank you, Babe. I guess I needed to hear that."

"Anytime! If you need to hear it again, you come find me." He brought her hand to his lips again and kissed it before returning it to his thigh. "So if Rodriguez passes his certifications, I get to be his partner?"

"Yeah, we'll give it a two month trial period to see if you two really work well together, but I have a feeling that you will. You and he are a lot alike."

"That's a scary thought. Can you handle two of me out in the field together?" Ranger laughed and shook his head.

"Scary isn't the word for it, Babe. It's downright frightening!" It was Stephanie's turn to laugh at Ranger's statement.

The rest of the ride continued in their normal silence. Stephanie looked over at Ranger when he pulled into the Haywood garage. They hadn't spoken about it, but Stephanie just assumed that she would go back to her apartment.

Ranger heard her silent thoughts and smirked at her. "I'm so used to having you next to me at night that I don't want to spend another one without you. Please stay with me, Babe, at least tonight. We'll worry about tomorrow later." Stephanie didn't even have to think about it.

"Sounds good to me, I don't think I'd be able to sleep without you either." Ranger smiled a full smile and climbed out of the car. Before he even helped Stephanie out, the elevator opened and a sea of black came out to sweep her away.

Stephanie laughed as each of the Merry Men gave her a welcome back hug. Ranger stood back and smiled at how enamored his men were with his woman. They'd never been very emotional and they never showed affection that is until they met her. She changed them and he loved her even more for it.

Rodriguez stood at the back of the line. He was the last to take Stephanie into his arms. He missed her while she was away and he wanted to share the good news with her. "Dulzura, it's so good to see you again. You look...well rested." Stephanie blushed and hugged him back.

"Thanks! So I hear that I might have a new partner." Rodriguez tensed thinking someone else got the jump on him. Stephanie felt it and hugged him tighter so that she could whisper in his ear. "I'm talking about you. How did your testing go? Did you blow it out of the water?"

Rodriguez let out a breath and pulled her back a little so that he could look into her eyes. "I passed with flying colors. I'm cleared for field work. Does that mean you want to be my partner too?"

"You bet your sweet ass! We're going to be great together!" They were both still laughing at Stephanie's words when Ranger made his way over to the pair. He wrapped his arm around Stephanie's waist and offered Rodriguez his hand.

"Congratulations! I just looked over your scores and Tank and I agree that you're good to go. Welcome back." Rodriguez shook the offered hand and smiled.

"Thank you, sir. I guess from what Steph says, you're cool with us working together?"

Ranger looked at the man in front of him with a calculating eye. He saw exactly what he needed to so he nodded his head. "There's no other man, besides me, that I would trust more to take care of her." Rodriguez's eyes grew wide at his boss's confession.

"HEY! I am offended by that comment! Why don't you trust Beautiful with me?" Les walked up beside Stephanie and pulled her away from Ranger. In a dramatic display, he dipped her and kissed her soundly on the lips. Ranger growled and pulled her back into his arms.

"That is why I don't trust my Babe with you. You can't keep your lips or hands to yourself. Besides, if you and she were partners, nothing would ever get done. You two would spend hours plotting how to booby trap my office." Les smiled and nodded his head. He knew it was true.

Stephanie tried to hide her giggle, but failed. Ranger sent her a look that promised retribution and Stephanie went from giggly to turned on with that one look. She could read his thoughts and she no longer wanted to be standing in the garage surrounded by coworkers.

Ranger and Stephanie were both lost in the each other's eyes when Les' loudly whispered voice broke their trance. "Twenty bucks says he takes her right here in the garage." Ranger growled and turned toward Les and Rodriguez.

"Mats, 0500 tomorrow, Santos. Rodriguez, welcome back. We will see you all in the morning." Stephanie stood on her tip toes and whispered into Ranger's ear. His eyes darkened and he looked back at Les. "Make it 0700 tomorrow." Rodriguez and Les both burst out laughing. They both knew exactly why Ranger pushed back the mat time. Anyone with an eye could see just how much in love the two were. It was about time they got their shit together.

Rodriguez watched as the couple excused themselves from the masses and made their way to the elevator. Right before the door closed, he saw Ranger take Stephanie's lips with his in a passionate kiss. Rodriguez knew she belonged to Ranger and that was okay. He got to be her partner and they were friends. That was good enough for him.

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A/N - There you have it. I hope it was worth the wait! Good, bad or ugly...let me know what you thought. Even if it's just one word or a smily face! I appreciate them all!


	11. Working Together

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all so much for the review and fav/follows! You amazing readers have pushed me over 200 reviews and I am so excited that you all are liking this story so far! You all have blown my mind with your kind words and encouragement. Please keep them coming. They make me feel so good!

Thank you to my amazing beta, Potterwench, who takes my messes and turns them into masterpieces. You're an amazing writer, terrific beta, and true friend. Love ya girl!

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**Chapter 11 - Working Together**

Over the next two months, Stephanie and Rodriguez fell into a comfortable partnership. They successfully captured numerous skips and did countless hours of surveillance together. Their friendship was natural, so that made their partnership easy. Stephanie learned more about Rodriguez during their first two months as partners than she ever thought possible.

Stephanie and Ranger had also fallen into a comfortable relationship. Most nights, she stayed on seven even though they hadn't discussed living together. The only nights she stayed in her apartment was when he had a late night surveillance shift and wouldn't be there any way. That didn't happen very often though. They spent every free minute together and their love grew stronger every day.

Ranger even took Stephanie to meet his family. His parents welcomed her into their lives without hesitation. They knew that it was Stephanie's influence that changed their hardened son. They began to see subtle changes in him the minute he started talking about the woman he met. Ranger's mom was even planning in her mind for their wedding. She could see their love and knew that it was only a matter of time before they made it permanent.

Stephanie's mother, however, didn't like her daughter's relationship with Ranger. She took every opportunity to chastise Stephanie for not accepting Joe's proposal. She wanted her youngest daughter safe and sound. Married and popping out babies preferably, but she'd settle for her in a stable relationship with someone safe. And she wanted Stephanie far away from Ranger Manoso and her job.

After the first dinner showdown with her mother, Stephanie hadn't been back. She occasionally had lunch with her father and grandmother, but she stayed away from her mother. Stephanie didn't want to be around her if she couldn't accept her relationship with Ranger. Stephanie could take criticism about her job and about her lifestyle, but when her mom started calling Ranger and the other guys thugs, that was enough to send Stephanie into rhino mode. Her mother would never understand and Stephanie didn't want to be around her negative attitude.

It wasn't like Stephanie didn't have people who loved her surrounding her. Between the Merry Men and Ranger, she was constantly supported. She and Les were friends before she worked full-time at RangeMan, but afterwards, they became best friends. Les loved Stephanie more than he had any other woman. He knew she belonged to Ranger, but he settled for being her friend. He told her things about himself that no one else knew. She made it easy for the guys to open up to her because no matter what they said, she didn't judge them. She loved them no matter what.

One Friday afternoon, Stephanie and Rodriguez were out chasing skips. Lula was stuck at the office filing, so they were left to their own devices that day. Not that that's always a bad thing. Lula tended to cause more chaos than was necessary and from the way Stephanie looked, she didn't need any extra chaos.

"You feeling okay, Steph? You're looking a little rough." Rodriguez looked at his partner who was currently driving them around Trenton. Stephanie glared at him and then turned her attention back to the road. They were looking for thirty-four year old, Frankie Humphries. He was arrested for assault and battery, possession of a controlled substance, and felony fleeing. Why Vinnie bonded him out is a mystery, but he did and now the pair was tasked with bringing him back in.

"Thanks. That's a polite way of saying I look like shit." Rodriguez chuckled at Stephanie's annoyed statement.

"I'm just worried about you. You haven't been yourself for the past few days. You even turned down Pino's yesterday!" Stephanie waved off his concern.

"I've just been tired lately and a little nauseous. It comes and goes so I'm not too worried about it. Right now, I feel pretty rough." Rodriguez thought about what she said. She'd been moody the past couple days too. He was about to ask a question when Stephanie jerked the SUV into a parking lot and threw open the door. He watched from the passenger seat as she leaned out the door and threw up all over the parking lot.

After she'd emptied her stomach she sat back up in the driver's seat and took the offered bottle of water from her partner. He looked at her with concerned eyes. "Steph, maybe you should see Bobby. This isn't normal."

"I think it's just a bug. I'm okay." Rodriguez shook his head and shrugged it off. He wasn't going to make her talk to Bobby. That was the fastest way to piss Stephanie off. Make her do something she didn't want to do.

"Why don't you and I head to my apartment? I need to check on some things and brush my teeth." Stephanie looked at her partner hoping he wouldn't object to her idea. He simply nodded and she turned the SUV toward her home.

It had been weeks since she'd been there and she really wanted to check stuff out. "So when are you making the move to RangeMan permanent?" Rodriguez questioned his partner. The guys had a pool open and were all anxious to have her there permanently.

Stephanie smiled at Dante and parked the SUV in a front spot in her apartment's parking lot. Maybe it wasn't Ranger who had good parking karma, maybe it was the vehicles. "I guess whenever the big boss man decides to ask me. We haven't really talked much about it, but I usually end up staying there anyway." They both hopped out of the SUV and made their way up the stairs to her apartment. They cleared it together and then Stephanie took a look around.

Her stomach lurched again and she took off running to the bathroom. She felt her hair being pulled back as she threw up in to the toilette. When she was finished, a cool rag was placed into her hand and she used it to wipe her face and mouth off as she rested her head against the cool tile wall and closed her eyes.

"Steph, can I get you anything?" She opened her eyes and looked at her partner.

"There's some Earl Grey Tea in my cupboard. Would you boil some water and fix me a cup of that. Maybe it will settle my stomach." Rodriguez nodded and immediately went out of the bathroom to her small kitchen.

Stephanie stood up off the floor and looked at herself in the mirror. She was exhausted and looked like shit. She quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth before walking into her kitchen. Rodriguez was at the stove messing with the knobs. "I think something's wrong. It won't come on at all." Stephanie groaned and took his place messing with the stupid stove.

After about five minutes of fiddling and multiple curses, Stephanie gave up and put a mug of water in the microwave. While it was heating up, she called the building manager, Dillon, and told him about the stove being broken. It was up to the owners to replace the appliances. Dillon assured her that he would take care of ordering the new stove and let her know when to expect the delivery. After hanging up with him, Stephanie fixed herself a cup of tea and sat down on her couch next to Rodriguez. He looked at her with concern in his eyes.

"How you feeling?" Stephanie looked at him and smiled as she sipped her tea.

"Better. Thanks." Rodriguez looked at Stephanie and tried to come up with a way to ask a sensitive question. He'd seen all her symptoms before and he was concerned for his friend.

"Steph, can I ask you a question and not have you get mad at me?" Stephanie raised an eye brow as she looked at him. She didn't speak, just simply nodded her head. "Are you pregnant?"

Stephanie stopped with her mug of tea half way to her mouth. Her eyes got wide as she thought about what he asked. Was she? She tried to remember her last period and realized that it was over a month ago. Her hands started shaking and Rodriguez gently took the mug of hot tea out of her hands.

"Okay, I'm going to guess that it's a huge possibility. Let's put this down and take some deep breaths." Rodriguez could see the panic written all over her face. He pushed her head between her knees and whispered into her ear, "Breathe Stephanie."

Once he felt her calm down he released her head and pulled her eyes up to look at him. "It's going to be okay. What do we need to do?" Stephanie looked at him again. She looked like a lost puppy that had no idea how to find her way home. "Okay. Do you have a pregnancy test here?" Stephanie shook her head no frantically.

Rodriguez nodded and pulled out his phone. Stephanie freaked again. "Who are you calling? You can't tell anyone. Fuck...fuck...fuck! What am I going to..."

"STEPHANIE! Relax. I'm going to text Santos. He's off today and you trust him, right? He can run to the store and get a test or steal one from Bobby. Is that okay?" Stephanie looked panicked again but she nodded.

Rodriguez sent a fast text to Les: _Steph needs a huge favor! Grab a pregnancy test from the clinic and get to her apartment ASAP. Tell NO ONE what's going on. She's freaking out and needs a friend._

He got an immediate response: _Shit! You better not be joking with me but seeing as its Beautiful we're talking about, I'm guessing this is serious. I'll be there in ten. Tell her to hang on for me._

Rodriguez pulled Stephanie into his side as he tried to comfort her. He wasn't the one she wanted, but he had a feeling neither was Les. Ranger needed to be there for her, but there was no way he was broaching that subject.

Exactly ten minutes later there was a knock on her door. When no one answered it, Les let himself inside. He saw Stephanie curled up beside Rodriguez and he felt a surge of jealousy shoot through him. Not that he had any reason to be jealous though.

Les approached Stephanie and squatted down in front of her. He brushed the hair away from her face and smiled at her blank look. "Beautiful, I have a present for you. You think you want to do this now or wait until later?" Stephanie looked at him and sat up. She didn't say anything as she held out her hand for the test.

She disappeared into the bathroom leaving the two men in the small living room. "What the fuck do you think is going to happen? Have they even talked about kids?" Rodriguez looked at Santos.

"I have no idea man. You know they don't talk about anything until it's like a second away from catastrophe. I know Beautiful is terrified of kids and Ranger always said one was enough for him. This is going to be interesting. If anything bad happens between them, Beautiful is going to be destroyed."

Rodriguez looked at Les perplexed. "He wouldn't dump her because of this would he? I've seen the way he looks at her and I don't see him backing away just because of this." Les just shrugged and turned his attention to the bathroom.

Stephanie walked calmly out a minute later and right into Les' open arms. He stroked her hair and told her that everything was going to be alright. They all stood silently in the living room until Stephanie's alarm beeped on her phone. She let out a long sigh and pulled out of Les' arms. When she didn't make a move toward the bathroom, Rodriguez looked into her eyes. "Would you like me to go read the test, Steph?"

Stephanie shook her head and straightened her spine. She smiled a small smile at the two men and walked into the bathroom. The apartment was quiet as she read her fate. The guys heard a whimper and they both knew what the result was. She reappeared a minute later with tears in her eyes. "What am I going to do? Ranger's going to kill me." Les took her in his arms again.

"No he's not. He loves you, Steph, and he's going to be thrilled about the baby. I've never seen that man happier so I doubt this is even going to be that big of a deal to him." Rodriguez raised an eyebrow at him and Les just shrugged. Stephanie needed comfort. "Just relax for now. You don't have to tell him just yet. Find a doctor and have them look at you. These tests can be wrong." Stephanie looked at him hopeful. Les knew the truth that false positives were rare, but he didn't want to tell her that.

"Okay. I can do that. I'll call now and make an appointment for Monday. Thanks Les." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then walked into the bedroom for some privacy.

"Now what the hell do we do?" Rodriguez never took his eyes off the closed bedroom door. He knew the likelihood of the test being wrong was slim too.

"We do whatever we have to do to be there for her. I don't think Ranger would kick her to the curb for this. He's beyond happy and I think what they have goes so far beyond just love that it's sickening." Rodriguez nodded his head in agreement. "But you're going to have to be careful with her until she gets word from the doctor. She's not going to want to back off bounty hunting until then. Keep an eye on her."

"That shouldn't be a problem. We're off this weekend and I can convince her to be done for today. Let's just hope her appointment is early on Monday." Les nodded and smiled when Stephanie reappeared with a smile on her face.

"I have an appointment at 0820 Monday morning." Both men let out a sigh of relief. They were about to ask a question when her cell rang.

Stephanie answered the call when she saw it was Dillon. "Hey Steph, you've got a new stove being delivered at four-thirty tomorrow. Can you be there to accept the delivery?"

"Sure thing, I'll be here." Dillon thanked her and hung up. She turned around to see two sets of raised brows.

"My new stove is being delivered tomorrow at 1630. I think Ranger has a late surveillance shift, so I'll just plan on staying here. I can have some alone time to think." Les and Rodriguez nodded. Neither of them knew what to say to her next. Stephanie looked at each of them and asked a favor. "Can you two, please, keep quiet about this? I want to be the one to tell Ranger when it's time."

Rodriguez was the first to respond, "My lips are sealed, Dulzura." She smiled and hugged her partner. Les pulled her into his arms when she was done. "You've got my word, Beautiful. I'll keep my mouth shut."

Stephanie knew she could trust these two guys to keep her secret. There wasn't anyone else, aside from Ranger that she trusted more. She just hoped she still had him when she told him that she was pregnant. Her biggest fear was Ranger deciding that he wasn't ready for kids and walking away. She really didn't think that was going to happen, but she wanted to prepare herself for the worst case scenario.

They were all sitting around her living room talking about work when her phone buzzed with an incoming text. She smiled seeing it was from Ranger. _Babe. I'm done with meetings for the day and thought we'd have an early dinner and then an early bedtime. Come home whenever you're done being a badass bounty hunter. Love you!_

Stephanie responded quickly that she was on the way and looked at the two men sitting with her. "Boss man needs me back at Haywood. Are you two ready to roll?" The guys smiled at her knowing exactly what the boss man needed from her.

Fifteen minutes later, Stephanie walked into the penthouse apartment. She could smell amazing things coming from the kitchen and was shocked to see Ranger cooking when she entered the room. He smiled at her and stopped stirring when he saw her.

"Hey Babe, how was your day?" Stephanie stepped up and gave him a kiss, and peeked into the pots on the stove.

"It was good. We didn't get our guy, but we will. We talked to some friends of his today." Ranger smiled and returned to the food. "What smells so freaking good?" Stephanie's mouth was practically watering from the aromas.

"Ropa Vieja, it's a shredded beef Cuban dish that I love. My mother taught me to make it years ago and I thought you'd enjoy it." Stephanie stood amazed at the man in front of her. She had no idea he could cook. "You have time to shower if you want to. I'll open the wine to let it breathe and we should be ready to eat in about fifteen minutes."

Stephanie kissed him again before turning and heading into the bathroom. She took a fast shower and then slipped into a clean pair of panties and one of Ranger's T-Shirts. She didn't bother with the pants because it was just going to be them tonight and pants would only get in the way later. She walked back into the kitchen to see the table fully set and the meal waiting for her at her place.

Ranger gave her a passion filled kiss before pushing her down into her seat. He poured her a glass of wine which she eyeballed suspiciously. She remembered hearing her sister Valerie talk about drinking a glass of wine while she was pregnant so she decided to sip it so Ranger wouldn't think something was up. She took a sip of the wine and then smiled at the man next to her. He was watching her and she couldn't figure out why. She picked up her fork and took a bite of the heavenly food in front of her.

She couldn't help her reaction and moaned in delight as she tasted the explosion of flavors on her tongue. "Oh my God! This is so good! Why haven't you cooked this for me before?" Ranger laughed and shook his head. He picked up his fork and dug into his food too.

"I guess because I never had the time. Most of my meetings got cancelled today so I had some free time and I wanted to use it to treat you." Stephanie melted at his words and continued eating. She decided to broach the subject of her staying in her apartment the next night when she was about half way done with her meal.

"Do you still have that late night surveillance shift tomorrow night?" Ranger nodded and continued to eat. "Okay, I think I'm going to stay at my apartment then. My new stove is being delivered in the evening, so I'll hang out there and then probably just crash after it gets installed."

Ranger didn't like that she wasn't going to be staying at Haywood, but he knew better than to push her. He wanted her there permanently, but he didn't know if she was ready for that step yet. They hadn't discussed much about their relationship because it came so naturally for them. Ranger realized that he hadn't said anything to her and he didn't want her to pick up on his disappointment. "That's sounds good, Babe. I won't be back until after 0400, so I wouldn't see you much anyway. Can we spend tomorrow together before your stove gets delivered?"

Stephanie smiled brightly at him before nodding. "I'd really like that. We don't have to do anything special besides be together." It was Ranger's turn to smile at her. He leaned over to kiss her deeply. She moaned into his mouth and he could feel himself getting hard. He pulled away and smirked at her.

"Hold my place for later. I'm going to clean up real fast and then we can go to bed and continue where we left off." Stephanie shuddered as she thought about continuing and decided that they could get done quicker if she helped.

"You wash, I'll dry." She hopped up and carried her plates to the kitchen. Ranger trailed behind her laughing at her enthusiasm.

They worked together to clean up the kitchen and then immediately retreated to the bedroom where Ranger picked up right where he left off earlier. They spent most of the night wrapped in each other's love. There was nowhere else on the planet that they wanted to be.

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A/N - There you have it. Let me know what you thought about the chapter. Good, bad or ugly, I want to know!


	12. All Good Things Must Come to an End

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

I'm loving all these reviews guys! They make me so happy! Thank you all so much for taking a second or two to leave me a few words. They really do encourage me and make me smile! Please keep them coming!

Potterwench...my beta, my Lou...couldn't do this without you, girl.

Sorry this is a day late. I couldn't put this chapter out yesterday on such a festive holiday. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and you stay safe if you're out shopping today. Enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter 12 - All Good Things Must Come to an End**

The next morning, Stephanie woke up to wonderful smells coming from the kitchen. She felt the space next to her and it was empty and cool so she knew Ranger had been up for a while. He'd probably already done his work out and showered in the wee hours of the morning. Stephanie smiled knowing Ranger let her sleep in. After all, Ranger had kept her up until the early morning fulfilling his carnal desires.

Stephanie rolled out of bed and slowly started to make her way to the bathroom. She was halfway there when the feeling hit her and she had to run the rest of the way to throw up in the toilet. She silently prayed the whole time that Ranger hadn't heard her. She wasn't ready to talk to him about the baby just yet. Luckily, she emptied her stomach and felt one hundred percent better, so she finished up her morning routine and quickly brushed her teeth. Ranger must not have heard her because he never came into the bathroom.

After she finished hugging the porcelain thrown, she brushed her teeth and washed her face before exiting the bathroom. She tossed on the T-Shirt she wore the night before and walked out to find Ranger once again cooking. He smiled when he saw her and walked over to give her a kiss. "Good morning, Babe."

"Mmmmmm...morning. Are you just showing off your cooking skills or did you finally give Ella a vacation?" Ranger laughed and returned to the omelet cooking on the stove top.

"Actually, smart ass, I gave Ella the morning off. She and Luis are going to a wedding this afternoon and I thought she could use the time to get ready." Stephanie looked at him with an eyebrow raised. She knew Ella was his aunt and wondered if it was a family wedding.

"Who's getting married?" Ranger knew she was fishing and decided to be honest with her.

"My cousin, Palo, actually, we got an invitation, but I wasn't planning on going." Stephanie glared at him and he knew he was in trouble.

"And why wouldn't you go? You're not on a mission and you don't have to work today until later. What's stopping you?" Ranger placed the omelets on their plates and carried them to the table along with a bowl of fresh fruit.

"Nothing is stopping me, I just didn't think about going. I don't usually go to family things like that because I'd hate for my enemies to pick up on my connections with people." Stephanie nodded in understanding and took a bite of her food, moaning in pleasure. Her only thought after that bite...good LORD! That man could cook!

"I can understand that, Ranger, but if you isolate yourself when there's no threat then you're allowing the enemies to control you. You can be a part of your family and still keep them safe. You're a security expert, for Christ's sake. Can't you figure something out?" Ranger smiled at her and thought about what she said. He knew he could figure out a way to get to the church without problems and as far as he knew, no one was even around Trenton looking for him.

Ranger picked up her hand and kissed each of her knuckles. "Babe, if I go today, will you go with me? I know you have to be at your apartment at 1630 for the delivery, so we couldn't stay for the reception, but we could make the wedding."

Stephanie smiled brightly at the man beside her. "I would love to go with you to your cousin's wedding! What time do we need to leave?" Ranger glanced down at his watch. "We'll need to leave her in about two hours. Is that enough time for you to get ready?"

Stephanie mentally catalogued the dresses that she had in Ranger's apartment and picked out what she wanted to wear. Normally she'd like more time, but two hours was going to have to work for her. "Barely, but I'll manage." They finished their breakfast and Stephanie rushed off to get ready while Ranger cleaned up the dishes.

When he was done, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower behind her. He snuggled into her neck and felt her melt against him. "We got time for this, Babe?" Stephanie moaned when she felt his cock hard against her ass.

Stephanie's voice was breathy as she answered. "No, but that's okay. I need you right now." Ranger growled and spun her around, lifting her up at the same time. He slammed into her and heard her scream at the invasion. Their coupling was hard and fast and just what each of them needed at that moment. Ranger helped Stephanie clean up again and she stepped out to start on her hair as he finished showering.

Stephanie was blow drying her hair in nothing but her bra and panties when Ranger stepped out of the shower. He groaned and felt himself growing hard just looking at her. She caught his gaze in the mirror and smiled seductively. "Oh no! You already made me late and I've got a mass of curls to tame. No touching this body until later tonight."

Ranger sighed and hung his head. He knew he wouldn't be touching that body until the next day. Maybe he could get out of the surveillance shift and spend the night with her. Ranger dropped his towel and watched Stephanie's eyes turn dark. It was his turn to smirk. "Oh no! If I can't touch then neither can you! No touching this body until TOMORROW, Babe." He walked out the door and chuckled when he heard her whimper.

He threw on a suit and tie and was slipping his feet into shoes when Stephanie came barreling out of the bathroom. "I can't believe it's so late. I still have to get dressed, shit! Why do you have to be so damn irresistible?" Ranger laughed out loud and walked over to where Stephanie was searching through her clothes in the closet.

Ranger wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his hard body. "Relax, babe. You still have plenty of time." Stephanie turned around and glared at him. She refocused her attention back on her clothes and found the dress she was searching for.

"You're lucky I love you so much. You have no idea what it takes to get me looking good." She threw the dress on and turned for Ranger to zip it up. He slowly raised the zipper and then placed a kiss to her bare skin above the top of the fabric.

"You always look good to me, Babe. You could go to this wedding wearing a burlap sack and still be the most beautiful woman there." Stephanie melted again into his arms. He really was good for her ego. She might not believe what he said, but she knew HE believed it. That was all that mattered.

They were both dressed and ready to go in plenty of time. Stephanie looked amazing in her dress, so Ranger spent the twenty-minutes that he had left kissing her senseless beside the front door. She glared when she saw her reflection in the elevator on the way down to the garage. Ranger just laughed and kissed her again. He thought she looked sexy as hell with swollen lips and her hair a little messy. It was the 'just fucked' look.

They arrived at the church in Newark and both got the feeling that they were being watched. Stephanie looked at Ranger as he scanned the lot for anything that looked out-of-place. He made a quick call to RangeMan and Stephanie knew he was getting back up to their location. She thought he'd call it off and go home but he let out a sigh and looked at her.

"Are you ready to do this, Babe?" Stephanie was shocked. She didn't want to tell him that her spidey sense was going off. He would pull them out for sure and she really wanted go to the wedding.

"I'm ready if you are." Ranger let out another sigh and stepped out of the car. He scanned the lot as he walked around to the passenger side. He helped Stephanie out and they walked toward the church together. They were greeted by his parents and siblings and then they took their seats inside the sanctuary. Ranger wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side.

The wedding was beautiful. The family was Catholic, so the wedding lasted a long time but Stephanie enjoyed seeing a young couple so in love. During the vows, Ranger took her hand in his and looked deep into her eyes. It was like he was saying the same vows to her and it made her tear up. At that minute, she knew she wanted marriage and she wanted the baby that was growing inside her. She wanted it all because she knew from watching Ranger, he wanted it too.

When the wedding was over, they drove to the reception. They couldn't stay for the entire thing, but they would be able to at least dance a few times and eat some cake. When they got out of the car at the banquet hall, Ranger once again scanned the parking lot. His senses were telling him that something was off, but he couldn't pin point what or where.

Like the wedding, the reception was beautiful. Ranger took Stephanie into his arms as soon as the music started playing and held her close as they danced. The guests around them were placing bets as to when they'd be at their wedding. Everyone around Ranger and Stephanie could see their connection and knew it was only a matter of time before they married.

Stephanie got her cake and then after a few more dances, it was time to go. Ranger scanned the lot again and helped Stephanie into the car. He spotted their back up and nodded toward them. They knew they were supposed to follow him where ever he went and more than likely stay with Stephanie when Ranger dropped her off.

Ranger drove silently back to Trenton and parked in Stephanie's lot. He wanted to beg her to go back to RangeMan, but he knew that she'd want to be there for the delivery. Maybe he should just ask her to move in with him. She could pack up stuff while they were dropping off the stove and then move over tonight. Where they ready for that? He said the vows to her in his head. He knew he was ready for it all, but the question was...was Stephanie ready?

"Thank you for the wonderful day, Carlos. I love your family so much." She wanted to say that she couldn't wait to be part of that family, but she held back. She didn't want to scare him.

"It was my pleasure, Babe. I'm glad we went." Ranger stroked her face. "Can I ask a favor of you?" Stephanie sighed into his touch and smiled. She nodded her head in response to his question. "Can I leave the guys here to watch your apartment? I don't have reason to think anything is wrong, but I don't like you being here by yourself."

Stephanie started to get angry, but then she thought of the life growing inside of her and about her spidey sense that were still tingling. Having back-up in the lot wouldn't be that bad. She let out a long sigh and looked at Ranger. "You can leave them, but they stay in the lot. I have no plans to go anywhere tonight so they'll have a boring night."

Ranger smiled at her and brought her head to his for a passionate kiss. "Thank you, Babe. It will make me feel better knowing that you're protected." Stephanie sighed into him and relished in his closeness for a few more minutes. She didn't want to let him go, but she wanted to change before the delivery guy came. Ranger pulled out his cell phone and sent a text to Hector who was in the SUV in the lot. He watched Hector enter the building to clear her apartment before he sent her up.

Stephanie saw Hector enter and knew exactly what he was doing. She smiled and rubbed his face. "You're welcome. Anything I can do to make your life easier, I'll do it. Have a fun time on surveillance tonight. If you get frisky and want to stop by when you're done, I wouldn't be disappointed." Stephanie wiggled her eye brows and leered at him seductively. Ranger laughed at her brashness. She wasn't usually so forward and he loved it.

"I'll be here after my shift then." Ranger whispered against her lips before claiming them with his own. He held onto her a bit longer before finally letting her go. Stephanie didn't want to get out of the car, but knew she had to. She smiled one last time and then climbed out of the car. She closed the door and leaned back down to look at him through the open window. "I love you, Carlos and I'll be waiting for you later." She smiled and sauntered away into her building. She watched as Hector climbed into the SUV and waved to him and his partner. She smiled brightly at the two men who were tasked with protecting her.

Ranger was stunned by the sway of her hips as he watched her walk into her building. He shook the naughty thoughts out of his head and looked one last time before driving away. Running through his mind the entire drive back to Haywood was that he didn't tell her that he loved her. Why did that bother him so much?

When Stephanie got into her apartment, she quickly changed into lounge pants and a tank top. She washed her face and threw her hair up into a pony tail. She didn't really have any reason to impress the delivery man. A few minutes after she came out of her bedroom, she heard a knock at the door.

She looked out the peep hole and saw a man holding a clip board. He was wearing a uniform so she decided he was the delivery man. She opened the door and smiled brightly at the man in the hallway.

"Are you Ms. Plum?" The man smiled at her and she noticed just how handsome he was. He was Latino, her age and well-built. He had dark, soft looking hair and dark eyes. He could pass for a Merry Man and she wondered why he was delivering appliances.

"I am Ms. Plum, but call me Steph. Do you have my new stove?" The man smiled at her and nodded. Stephanie opened her door wider and let him inside.

"I just need to see where this thing is going and then I'll bring it up from the truck. I'll get it all installed and then take your old one away. Any questions?" The man seemed extremely friendly, which put Stephanie at ease.

"Don't think so. Here's the old stove." Stephanie led him into her small kitchen and pointed to the broken stove. The guy poked around the old stove for a little bit and then stood back up.

"Okay. This shouldn't take too long. I'll be out of your hair soon." He smiled again and left the apartment to get the new appliance. Stephanie sat down in the living room and turned on the TV. A few minutes later, she heard another knock at her door and she got up to hold the door for the man.

He thanked her for her help and got busy installing her new appliance. Stephanie retreated back to the living room and focused her attention back on the TV. She numbly sat and watched a rerun episode of "Friends". After about an hour, the delivery man interrupted her vegging.

"I got it all hooked up, would you like to come see it?" Stephanie smiled and stood up off the couch. With the delivery almost over, she was looking forward to some quiet alone time and then some steamy sex with Ranger when he got there. She knew that nothing could ruin her day.

Downstairs in the parking lot, Hector and Junior sat watching Stephanie's apartment. They had watched the delivery man go up the first time, then he came back down and unloaded the stove. He disappeared back upstairs for close to an hour and then came back down lugging the old stove. He loaded it up in his truck and drove away.

The guys saw the TV flickering inside the apartment, so they knew Stephanie was settling in for a quiet evening at home. Junior pointed to the apartment and asked, "When do you think Boss Man is going to move her to RangeMan?" Hector smiled and shrugged.

Hector didn't pretend to understand the Boss Man. Ranger was a complicated man and Hector stopped trying to figure him out a hell of a long time ago. He knew Ranger loved Stephanie, but who's to know when he'll make his move to make their relationship permanent. Hector turned his attention back to Stephanie's apartment. He knew the TV was still on because he could see the flicker of the light through the window.

A few hours later the guys were discussing workplace gossip when an explosion rocked the building in front of them. They both looked up in horror when they saw flames shooting out of Stephanie's apartment window. Junior hit his panic button as Hector ran into the building with Junior right on his heels. They fought against the droves of people pouring out of the building. When they finally made it to Stephanie's apartment, they saw that the doorway was totally engulfed in flames. There was no way they could get in and they both knew that there was no way that anyone in there was still alive.

Hector still made a lunge to the door but Junior stopped him. Junior pulled the fighting man back down to the parking lot. They were both watching in horror as fire trucks and cop cars sped into the lot. They watched as Morelli got out of his car and searched the crowd for Stephanie. When he didn't see her he looked at the two men. He knew them being there meant that she was inside and then it hit him. He took off for the building, but was held back by his fellow officers. He fought for all he was worth, but it was no use. He was too late to save her.

Four black SUV's came screaming into the lot and a sea of black clad men rushed out. They scanned the lot and the crowd then their eyes met Hector's and Junior's and then they knew. This time, they were all too late. Les and Rodriguez both went running toward the building, but couldn't go inside because the flames were too hot. The whole building was engulfed in flames by that time and there was nothing anyone could do.

The last black SUV came speeding into the lot. Ranger was out before the SUV came to a stop. He looked frantically for Stephanie and when he didn't see her, he began to panic. He rushed into the sea of black and looked at his men's faces. He couldn't quite understand why they wouldn't tell him where she was. Why weren't they helping her, protecting her? Why couldn't he find her?

He scanned the parking lot again, desperately searching for the ONE person he needed. He saw Morelli and the other cops, all crying and comforting each other. The firefighters were looking at the building and they shook their heads at the senseless destruction. He saw the old people who lived in the building all hugging each other as they watched their homes burn. He didn't see **her**. He didn't see those blue eyes. It dawned on him in an instant that he couldn't feel her either. She wasn't there. She was gone.

Ranger's animalistic cry was heard blocks away. He rushed toward the building, but was held back by his men. It took five of them to keep him away from the flames. If they had let go, he would have rushed in and died right along with her. As it was he fought with every fiber of his being, trying to get to her. Tears fell from his eyes as he struggled against his men. The whole time Ranger fought against his friend's physical restraints, he was screaming her name. "BABE!"

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A/N - I'm cowering in a corner to hide from your pitchforks and stones. Please let me know what you all think. Good, bad, or ugly...doesn't matter!


	13. Aftermath

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

I was BLOWN away by the amount of reviews asking for this chapter! Since you all are incredibly awesome, and since my beta busted her butt editing this...then here is the next chapter. I WAS going to wait until Monday to put this out, but too many of you need to know what happened. I hope this answers any questions! Enjoy and keep the reviews coming!

Potterwench...I'm glad you have my back! Thank you for busting out the next few chapters. You're an awesome beta and an amazing friend who I don't know what I'd do without. Love ya, girl!

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**Chapter 13 - Aftermath**

The day after the fire, Ranger woke up in a fog. He tried to remember what happened the night before but couldn't wrap his mind around anything concrete. His muscles hurt and he couldn't remember why. He looked around his room and noticed Tank sitting in a chair beside the bed. He looked exhausted and Ranger could see bruises all over his dark skin.

Ranger wondered where Stephanie was. He was alone in his bed and noticed that her side of the bed looked like it hadn't been slept in. A vague memory flashed through his mind. Stephanie was staying at her apartment the night before. He had a late night surveillance shift and she was supposed to get a new stove. She's safe and sound in her bed a few blocks away! Ranger relaxed and then looked at Tank again. Why was he here?

The smell of smoke filled Ranger's senses and he picked his arm up to sniff it. It didn't smell like his shower gel that Stephanie loved so much. It smelled like smoke and sweat. When was he around a fire? Then the memory flooded into his conscious. Ranger saw her building burning and he couldn't find her. She wasn't there. He turned his attention to Tank and asked the only question he needed the answer to. "Babe?"

In the second it took Tank to answer, Ranger prayed. He prayed that she got out and was hiding around the block. He prayed that she ran out for a snack and she wasn't in the building. He prayed that by some miracle, they found her later and she was fine. He prayed that she was alive. His hopes were crushed as Tank looked at him and shook his head, solemnly.

Ranger knew then that she was really gone and he broke. Tank was immediately beside him, cradling his friend as he cried. Tank didn't know how to help him. How do you help someone who just lost the other half of their soul? What can you say to make them feel better? How can you make the pain stop for them?

The problem is, you can't. There was nothing Tank could say or do to make Ranger's world better. His world stopped turning when Stephanie Plum took her last breath. She was the light in his dark world and now that she's gone, Ranger was plunged into the blackness.

After what seemed like an hour of his tears, Tank felt him relax and fall back asleep. He lowered him back into his bed and then let out a long sigh. Bobby poked his head into the room a minute later and saw the fresh tear tracks on Ranger's face. He looked at Tank, who looked like he'd been run through the emotional wringer, and asked a silent question.

Tank heard Bobby asking him if Ranger needed another sedative. He looked at his sleeping friend and shook his head. Bobby let out a sigh and walked closer to Tank.

"I had to put Santos and Rodriguez out too. They were beating the shit out of each other in the gym. I've never seen them so distraught and we've all been through some tough shit. Stephanie's death is hitting them harder than the rest of the guys."

Tank nodded. "Next to the boss, they were the closest to her. I have a feeling that we'll never get Rodriguez back after this and Les will never be the same. How long will they be out? I want someone there when they wake up."

Bobby understood Tank's concern and agreed with him. He had already planned ahead for that. "They'll be out for about five hours. I've got Cal with Santos and Hal with Rodriguez. They're to call me as soon as they start stirring. I've got more doses lined up if we need them." Tank nodded and ran a huge hand over his face.

"What do we know?" Tank wanted to be able to report something to Ranger the next time he woke up. As painful as it was, he would want to know what happened.

"Fire Marshall says it was a gas leak. The stove wasn't installed properly as best they can tell. They found her..." Bobby choked back the words. He couldn't say it but he knew he needed to. "She was in the living room on the couch. They think she died instantly. The explosion destroyed both the kitchen and the living room." Bobby dropped his head and then turned to look at Ranger. He was startled to see two tear filled brown eyes looking at him. He didn't know what to say to him, so he said the only thing he could think of to bring him comfort. "She didn't suffer, Carlos. There wasn't time for pain or for her to be scared."

Hearing that should have brought him peace, but it didn't. All Ranger felt was extreme sadness. His Babe was breathing one-second and then not the next. Her last thought was probably about some stupid TV show instead of him. He wondered what she was watching. Was she drawing comfort from her favorite movie or was she watching some reality crap? What did it matter? He would never know the answer to those questions and it was all because of a mistake.

One incompetent man caused all of this pain. One man who couldn't do his job right destroyed the lives of so many people. Ranger looked at the two men beside him. He wanted that man. Even though it was an accident, he wanted someone to pay for destroying his world. Tank understood the look and nodded. He would do what he could to find him.

Ranger turned his head away at Tank's nod and closed his eyes. He didn't want to hear anymore or see anyone. He wanted the pain to go away, but he knew there was no hope for that. He didn't think he would ever feel whole again.

Instead of going back to sleep, Ranger got up and headed toward the bathroom. He needed to get the smell of smoke off of him and then he needed to go somewhere. Tank watched him retreat and when the door closed he looked at Bobby.

"He's going to go to her apartment. Give me one of those shots and have four guys ready to follow us. I'm not sure how he's going to react seeing nothing but burned rubble." Bobby nodded and handed Tank a syringe of heavy sedative.

"I'll get Woody, Junior, Hector, and Ram in a vehicle ready to go." Tank nodded as Bobby left the room. He needed to warn the guys to be ready to fight an angry bull again.

Ranger came out of the bathroom clean and wrapped in a towel. He dropped it in his closet and pulled on some cargos and a T-shirt. He slipped his guns and knives on and then slid his feet in socks and his boots. He didn't even look at Tank as he stood up and followed him out of the apartment.

Tank stayed right behind him on the way down the stairs and climbed into the passenger seat before he could lock the doors. Ranger glared at him and Tank just shrugged and put on his seat belt. Ranger sped out of the garage, barely noticing the black SUV tailing them. Ranger drove mindlessly to the place where his heart stopped beating.

Ranger pulled up and parked on the street. The parking lot was blocked off because the building had collapsed. Twenty-four hours ago, there was life there. Now there was nothing. Ranger climbed out of the car and stood looking at the place where he last saw her.

The other guys stood behind their boss and friend watching for any signs of emotional distress. They were expecting another fight, and each man was silently prepping themselves for the onslaught.

Morelli stood in the middle of the lot talking to a fireman. They'd been there all night trying to extinguish the last of the flames. Sometime early in the morning, they were able to go in and pull her body out. Joe turned and saw Ranger and his guys staring at the rubble that used to be her apartment. His heart broke for the man in front of the group.

Joe started to approach the group, but stopped when he caught Tank's gaze. The big guys small head shake was just like he was screaming for Joe to stay away. Joe knew that Ranger was probably hanging on by a thread and he didn't want to be the one to break it. He nodded his understanding and then turned back to the men working the scene.

Ranger approached the building cautiously. His eyes never left the parking spot where he sat the night before. He could still see her as she climbed out of the car. He saw her lean back in and say those words that he'd never hear again. She was waiting for him to come to her, and he didn't get there in time. She loved him and she was waiting for him. He failed her. He failed her on so many levels.

The five men in black watched with bated breath as Ranger walked to what used to be the front of the building. They all knew what was going on in his head, but not one of them knew how to help him. Tank was the first to move when they saw him collapse to his knees in uncontrollable sobs. He wasn't fighting so they all formed a solid wall around him and let him cry.

Hours later, the men finally returned to Haywood. Ranger silently went straight to his office and closed the door. He hadn't spoken a word to anyone since that morning. Everyone knew he was hurting and gave him the space he needed. Tank kept a watchful eye on him but was stopped by Zero the second he got on the command floor.

"The delivery guy is dead. Cops found him this morning with a bullet in his brain and a suicide note attached to his shirt. He felt guilty for the blast and couldn't live with himself." Tank let out a long sigh. He couldn't even give Ranger the satisfaction of getting his revenge.

"FUCK!" Tank's booming voice traveled across the command floor and everyone stopped to look at him. He nodded once to Zero and headed into his office. He wanted to verify the information he'd just received and that would take some time.

Downstairs, Bobby sat beside Les as he slept. Rodriguez was already awake and moving around numbly and Bobby expected his partner to wake up at any moment. He was deep in thought when he heard the door to the apartment open. Rodriguez walked in and sat on the opposite side of Les' bed.

The two men sat in silence, staring at nothing. They snapped their eyes to the bed when Les spoke. "She's really gone, huh?" The pain in his voice was intense and Bobby couldn't do anything except nod. "Do we tell Ranger about the baby?" Bobby snapped his eyes to Les.

Rodriguez was the first one to speak. "I don't know man. If he knew she was pregnant, it would destroy him more." Bobby was beyond confused.

"Wait! She was pregnant?" Les and Rodriguez looked at each other and then nodded. Bobby was a little pissed. "Why am I just hearing about this now?"

"She just found out Friday. She took a home test and it was positive. She was supposed to go to the doctor on Monday." Rodriguez's voice trailed off to a whisper at the end of his statement.

"Fuck! We can't tell him. He's already barely hanging on and this will force him over the edge. I don't think we'd get him back if he goes over." Bobby ran his hand through his short hair as he spoke. "Who else knows about this?"

"The three of us and the doctor's office."

Bobby nodded and then let out a long sigh. "I'll talk to the doctor's office and have them put a lid on it and we'll inform Tank. No one else needs to know." Les and Rodriguez nodded and then all three men fell silent. They heard a knock at the door and all three yelled for whoever it was to come in.

Tank walked into the bedroom and looked at the three men sitting there. They all looked just as haunted as he felt. "I got news from the cops." Everyone perked up at Tank's words. "Delivery guy blew his fucking brains out. Was upset that his fuck-up killed someone. Cops have already closed the case. Fucker got off easy if you ask me." Everyone in the room digested what Tank said and nodded.

"Frank Plum called me a minute ago too. The funeral is the day after tomorrow. Her body was so badly burned that it's going to be a closed casket. He asked us all to be there."

Les looked at Bobby who looked at Rodriguez. They knew it was the time to share their information with Tank, but none of them wanted to do it. It was Les who broke first and spoke. "Stephanie was pregnant, Tank."

Tank glared at Les like he was crazy, o maybe he didn't hear him correctly. Finally, his voice broke the silence. "Excuse me!"

"She was pregnant. She found out Friday and was going to tell Ranger after her appointment on Monday." Rodriguez wiped a tear off his face as he spoke. Talking about her in the past tense was ridiculously hard.

"And you fuckers knew about it?" Tank was getting pissed. He hated when people kept shit from him.

"Rodriguez and I were with her on Friday when she took the test. Bobby just found out about twenty minutes before you. We don't want to tell Ranger, but thought you should know. Aside from us, the only other person who knows is the doctor's office and Bobby said he'd take care of them."

"Yeah, we're not telling Ranger. I'm not sure how he's going to come back from this anyway and knowing that would kill him. In the span of a few seconds, he lost everything." Tank shook his head.

"Is he going to be okay, Tank? Is he ever going to be the same?" Rodriguez's voice was soft and the guys barely heard it.

It was Bobby who answered the question for everyone in the room. "Are any of us going to be the same after this?" Each man let that question sink in. They each already knew the answer to it. No one would be the same. Everything had changed.

Tank was about to say something when his phone started ringing frantically. He answered and listened to the voice telling him the bad news. When the call ended he threw his phone against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces.

"Boss is gone. He punched out Zip and took off in the Turbo. Trackers are offline and his phone is off." Tank's voice was full of emotion and worry.

"FUCK!" Bobby, Les, and Rodriguez each said in unison. Each man stood up to get their shit together. They were now on a search mission and knew that they needed to find Ranger sooner rather than later.

"He wouldn't do anything stupid, would he?" Bobby asked the question plaguing each of their minds. No one had any idea how to answer that question. They could only hope and pray that their friend was smarter than that, but then again...none of them knew the amount of pain he was in, and pain makes people do stupid things sometimes.

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Ranger sped away from RangeMan as quick as he could. The phone call from Frank Plum had been too much to bear and he couldn't sit in that building any longer. His Babe's funeral was two days away. In two days, he had to say goodbye to her forever and he didn't think he had the strength to do that.

He didn't know where he was going and he really didn't care. All he knew was that he had to leave. He didn't want to see the pitying looks from his friends or hear the condolences from them. He didn't want people to pat him on the back and say that it was going to be okay, because it wasn't. His life was never going to be okay again.

Stephanie was gone. The love of his life and the other half of his heart and soul was no longer alive. That meant, he was no longer alive. You can't live with half a soul and certainly not with half a heart. Ranger didn't know how he was even still breathing. He didn't want to be. He wanted to be wherever she was. He wanted to see and touch her again. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and kiss her lips. He wanted to do all of these things and they would NEVER happen.

That realization brought the tears to his eyes again. Impaired vision and high driving speeds aren't a good combination. Ranger pulled over on the side of the road and looked around. He realized that he was close to his house in Pennsylvania. He wanted to be close to his Babe and subconsciously, he decided the house was the best place to be. Even if they only spent a week there, it was where they connected. It was where they came together as a couple and it was where their souls mated.

Ranger angrily swiped the tears off his face and drove the rest of the way to his house. If he couldn't have his Babe, he needed the next best thing. He needed the memories.

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A/N - There you have it. Did it answer some questions or create some more? I'm dying to know what you all are thinking now! If I get the amount of reviews that I did yesterday, then I'll put the next chapter out tomorrow! We're no where near being done with this story, so stick with me!


	14. Saying Goodbye

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

You all asked for it, so here you go! Thank you for the reviews! I was once again blow away. I haven't gotten a chance to respond to you all individually because I'm technically supposed to be 'off line' with my husband, but I love you too much to keep you all hanging! Hope you enjoy!

Potterwench...you're amazing and awesome and I couldn't do this without you! Love ya!

WARNING...grab a tissue or two!

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**Chapter 14 - Saying Goodbye**

The funeral of Stephanie Michelle Plum drew crowds to the family church located in the Burg. There was not a cop left on duty the afternoon that they laid her to rest. The Mayor of Trenton called in the National Guard to protect the town and to provide security for the event. People from all walks of life came to say goodbye to the woman who changed their lives.

Her father sat stoically in the front row cradling his sobbing wife. He was the family's rock and he knew he couldn't break down even though it felt like his world ended. Stephanie had always been different from his other daughter. Valerie was a clone of Helen, a perfect wife, and a perfect mother. Stephanie was the exact opposite. She lived her life the way she wanted and didn't let anyone hold her back. She hated to be told that she couldn't do something.

Frank sat remembering when Stephanie was five years old, her mother told her that flying was a pipe dream and she would never be able to do it. He was in the garage fixing the Buick when he saw his little girl on top of the roof with a pillowcase tied around her neck. He watched in horror as she jumped off that roof and came crashing down onto the grass below. He was the first to her side and could see that her arm was obviously broken but she didn't cry. She just looked at him with such a broken expression and said, "I guess mom was right. I can't fly, Daddy."

Hearing those words broke his heart. He hated to see her spirit break like that, so he did the only thing he could. He told her the truth. "You flew for a second, Baby, and don't let anyone tell you that you didn't". Frank could still see his little girl's smile at his words. Realizing that he would never see that smile again made his eyes fill with tears.

Helen Plum sat beside her husband, crying. She always knew that one day she would be sitting here. She couldn't understand why her youngest daughter couldn't just settle down. She tried every day of Stephanie's young life to teach her how to be a good wife and mother. Something about her youngest daughter was broken though. She rejected her mother's life and chose to chase criminals instead. She chose to risk her life every day. Helen remembered some of the things that her daughter got mixed up in and shuddered.

Helen remembered seeing Stephanie run down the road with a man in a rabbit suit chasing her. Stephanie had cuts and bruises all over her and looked terrified, so Helen did the only thing she could, she turned the car around and ran over the man threatening her daughter. She didn't care if he lived or died. All that mattered to her was that her baby was safe. Stephanie had always been lucky in the past, but her luck ran out and now she was gone. Helen didn't know how she was going to survive without her.

Stephanie's sister, Valerie sat beside her mother. She never understood her sister either. Valerie followed in their mother's footsteps and became a wife and mother. She never thought of doing anything else. She never wanted to do anything else and she wouldn't trade her life for anything. Valerie knew Stephanie was different at a very young age. While Valerie was painting her nails and playing with dolls, Stephanie was picking her scabbed knees and playing in the dirt. Valerie never could understand why her sister was so different.

Beside Valerie sat her three young daughters that couldn't quite understand why their aunt Stephanie wasn't going to be around anymore. No matter how Valerie and her husband Albert tried to explain it to them, they just didn't get it. Angie, the oldest, understood the best, but even she held a glimmer of hope that her only aunt would someday come back. Mary Alice didn't understand at all. She believed her Aunt Stephie was in trouble and would cry for her parents to help her. She couldn't understand why no one believed her.

Ever since Mary Alice was young, she and Stephanie had a connection. Even though she grew up in California and her aunt was in New Jersey, Stephanie would call whenever Mary Alice needed her. All she had to do was think about her aunt and the phone would ring. Mary Alice knew that her aunt wasn't in that box in the front of the church. She knew that Aunt Stephie was alive somewhere and waiting for them to find her. Mary Alice knew that if she could just speak to Ranger, he would believe her and he would find her aunt. She looked around the church for the man, but she never saw him.

Next to Valerie's husband, Albert, sat the matriarch of the family. Edna Mazur was Stephanie's biggest fan and supporter. She sat clutching her handkerchief looking at the black coffin at the front of the church with such disbelief. Grandparents shouldn't ever have to bury their grandchildren, especially not one so full of life, like Stephanie. Edna remembered the day she was born. Even at birth Stephanie was stubborn and different.

Helen's first pregnancy went smooth as silk. Valerie came out without problems and was a pretty well-behaved baby. Helen was in labor with Stephanie for fifteen hours. The doctors couldn't understand why the labor wasn't progressing, but Edna told them that it was because Stephanie wasn't ready to be born and when she was, she would come out. Turns out she was right. Stephanie came out screaming and full of spitfire. Edna saw the gypsy blood running through her newest granddaughter and knew that her parents were in trouble. She was right about that too.

Stephanie was her own person from the beginning. Where her sister was serene, Stephanie was turbulent. Everywhere Stephanie went, a storm followed. Jumping off the roof at five was just the beginning. Edna made sure to keep close tabs on her wild granddaughter and knew things about her that her parents didn't. Edna knew about Morelli taking her virginity at age sixteen. She was the one who took Stephanie to the doctor for the morning after pill. Edna knew sixteen was no age for her to be a mother. Now, Stephanie would never get to experience the joys of being a parent. Her life was cut short by an accident and Edna knew that life in Trenton would be a little darker without Stephanie's light.

Scattered around the church were the many cops of Trenton. Close friends of Stephanie's even though they didn't always act like it. They bet on her life time and time again and even showed up at her disasters laughing and joking like everything was okay. The night she died, no money changed hands and there was no joking. Big Dog and Carl held back her one time fiancé and friend, Joe Morelli from rushing into her building. They knew there was no hope and by rushing in it would just get him killed too.

The night she died, her childhood friend, Eddie Gazarra, tried to direct the other occupants of her building as tears fell down his face. She was part of his family, by marriage, but he loved her secretly for years. He knew that he would never get her, so he settled on marrying her cousin. You know how the saying goes, if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. He chose that path and his heart broke knowing that his life would never be the same without Steph.

Joe Morelli sat in the front row of the church staring at the coffin. Even though they weren't together at the time of her death, she had always held a place in his heart. Stephanie and Joe were legends in their small community. He was a wild child growing up and so was she. Their paths crossed a couple of times in their youth, but they really came together after Joe was arrested for murder. He skipped bail and Stephanie was tasked with bringing him back into the system. He underestimated her and she eventually got him. She sealed herself as a true bounty hunter in Trenton and secured a place in Joe's heart.

He loved her. He wanted to marry her and wanted a life with her. Problem was, Stephanie didn't want any of those things. Oh, she loved him, but it wasn't enough to settle down and share his life. They tried living together numerous times but could never make it last. The only thing they did right was the sex and when that stopped being enough, they ended their relationship. Everyone in Trenton expected a huge blow out with screaming and hand gestures. In truth, their ending was calm and mutual so they knew that it was the right thing to do. They remained friends because neither of them wanted to live a life without the other. Staring at the coffin, Joe knew that what he wanted didn't matter and that he was going to have to go on living, even though she wasn't.

Stephanie's best friend since birth, Mary Lou sat with her husband behind Joe. She wasn't even trying to hold back the tears. Stephanie had always been there for her. When she and her husband, Lenny, were talking about divorce; it was Stephanie who made Lou realize how much Lenny meant to her and how much her life would suck without him in it. Lou and Steph spent an evening drinking tequila and reminiscing about all the good times that Lou and Lenny shared. Stephanie saved her marriage and Lou never got to tell her thank you. Lou will never again get to call her freaking out about being pregnant like she had with each of her three boys. Lou will never again get to share a pint of their favorite ice cream while Stephanie told her about the craziness of her life. Lou never got to tell Stephanie that she was her hero. Lou lived vicariously through her best friend. She cried because Stephanie would never know how special she was.

Behind Mary Lou sat Stephanie's other two best girl friends. Lula and Connie were newer additions into her life, but that didn't mean they were loved less. Lula was her side-kick, her Tonto. Lula caused more problems when they were out then she helped, but Stephanie never made her stay behind. Stephanie encouraged the former prostitute to change her life and to do something that she loved. It was because of Stephanie caring about her, that Lula decided to enroll in community college. Lula planned on telling Stephanie about her new path in life the day after she died. They had a girls' night out planned and Lula was going to tell Stephanie then. Her friend would never know the impact she had on the large black woman. Connie tried to comfort Lula as best she could, but she knew their lives would never be the same.

Sitting in the very back of the church was a wall of black. Every man from RangeMan Trenton was in attendance. Contract workers who had no connection to Stephanie manned the monitors and men from the Boston office stood by in case of emergency. No man from Trenton was going to miss saying goodbye to their co-worker and friend.

None of those men understood why their boss first brought Stephanie into their world. They saw her as pure and innocent and they didn't want her to get marred by being in their darkness. Most were standoffish when she first appeared but then she wormed her way into their hearts and tore down the walls that each man had skillfully erected. Instead of marring her life with their darkness, Stephanie made theirs brighter. She made them more human and better men than they ever expected to be.

They became her protectors. They would gladly give their lives to bring her back, but they knew they couldn't. They failed and now she was gone. The men who were the closest to her sat numbly feeling pain like they had never experienced before.

Her self-proclaimed protector sat at the end of the back pew. Hector Ponce became enamored by the spunky woman when she shot the shit out of the remote for her new security system. The boss had him install the latest technology at her apartment during one of her many stalker situations. Hector thought the curly-headed woman had spunk from the beginning and knew how much she truly meant to his boss. No one knew the feelings that he held for the man who had rescued him from a life on the streets. Ranger got him out of the gang and gave him a job and a place to live and Hector loved him for it. He knew that his boss didn't swing his way, but that didn't stop his heart from loving the other man. He decided to protect the one person who meant the most to his boss. He vowed to make sure no harm ever came to Stephanie Plum because he knew if something happened to her, it would destroy his boss and friend.

Hector was one of the two men sitting in her parking lot the night that it happened. He will never forgive himself for not being more vigilant that night. His partner, Junior, and he were talking about the latest office gossip when it happened. They were talking about how happy she had been since their boss gave into his feelings. They were even making bets on how soon he would present her with the ring sitting in his safe. They knew that Ranger had loved her since the beginning, but had just recently told her. They knew that Stephanie had never looked happier than that night. She smiled and waved at them as she went into her apartment building. That was the last time they saw her alive. Hector's tattoos were not the only tear drops on his face. He, along with everyone else in the church, couldn't hold back their tears.

Stephanie's new partner and friend Dante Rodriguez sat beside Hector. They had only really known each other for the last four months, but she had made an impression on the hardened man. She had such an amazing light that had shined out of her that he couldn't help but be drawn to her. It the short amount of time he'd known her, she had substantially changed his life. He encouraged her when she needed it most and Steph had made sure he knew how much she appreciated that every day since then. She, too, encouraged him and he didn't know how he was going to keep on surviving without his partner and friend. His tears were hot as they rolled down his scarred face.

Bobby Brown, the company medic, wiped at his eyes and stared forward not really seeing or hearing anything around him. He had stitched Stephanie up and healed her multiple times throughout the years. He was always there with an icepack and a smile when she got hurt and he was always able to take her pain and worry away. One might be impressed with how many times she got injured. She'd been shot, stabbed, beaten, almost raped, and kidnapped so many times. Every time, Bobby was able to make her whole again. There was no helping her this last time. By the time he got to her apartment, there was nothing he could do besides hold back the man who loved Stephanie Plum the most as they watched in horror while her apartment building burned.

Sitting next to Bobby was Stephanie's best friend in the company. Lester and Stephanie were always getting into trouble together. They played pranks on the other men and made sure the building was always full of laughter. Lester loved her like no other woman in his life, but he understood that he would never have her. She belonged to his boss and anyone could tell that Ranger belonged to her. That didn't stop Lester from being there for her, though. She was the one person who knew everything about him. He told her things that no one else knew. She was the only one who knew the reason behind his playboy lifestyle and she was helping him move on. Stephanie was helping him open his heart to love again. Little did she know that she had helped him by just being his friend and his heart was ready to love. He loved her and she would never know. Les didn't stop the tear that fell from his eyes remembering his best friend.

Next to Lester sat Pierre Bradley. Stephanie only knew him as Tank and that annoyed her greatly. When they would do surveillance shifts together, she would spend the hours trying to guess his real name. He would laugh at the names she used to come up with and the longer they sat, the more ridiculous they got. She never guessed his real name and now he would never get to tell her. He would never hear her say, 'Hi Big Guy' and he'd never get to call her Little Girl again. Stephanie was like a little sister to the big man and she was one of the few women in his life not intimidated by his size. She would stand up to him and never backed down when he tried to bully her around. She was the only person who could regularly make him smile. He had few things in his life to smile about, but she made it a goal to see his pearly whites every day. He knew, now that she was gone, he would never smile again.

Tank looked around the church for one man that he knew was forever changed by this tragedy. He didn't see his friend and boss and that worried him. The night of the fire, Ranger was beyond consoling. While it took two cops to hold Joe Morelli back from charging into the inferno, it took five RangeMen to hold back their boss. When Bobby finally got the sedative in him, they all felt like they had gone fifty rounds with Mike Tyson. When Ranger woke up from the drug, he only said one word to his friend sitting beside him. "Babe?" It was a question and Tank knew what he was asking. Tank simply shook his head and watched the man before him crumble into tears. That was the last word Ranger spoke and that day was the last anyone saw of him.

Ranger took off out of the office that afternoon and no one had seen him since. Ranger did send Tank a text telling him to back off from searching. Tank guessed he was at his house and left him alone to grieve. Tank understood that Ranger needed space. He was mourning the loss of his love. That's not something that you just bounce back from overnight. Tank didn't really know if Ranger would ever recover from this loss.

Standing in the far back corner of the church, hidden in shadows was the love of Stephanie's life. Ranger stood, staring at the black coffin, wishing and praying that she would sit up and smile at him. The smile that could make his whole world better, the smile that could make him melt and do anything that she asked, the smile that he would never see again.

Tears streamed down the mysterious man's face as he thought of the things that she would never get to experience with him. She wouldn't get to see the ring that he had waiting for her. He intended on proposing to Stephanie on the anniversary of their first meeting. That day was coming up soon and he would have to face it alone now. She would never get to carry his children. They hadn't discussed it, but Ranger wanted children with her. He wanted to see what their kids would look like. That was something he would never get to experience too.

What hurt the most was realizing that he would never get to tell her, 'I love you' anymore. He wouldn't get to see that look on her face when he said those three little words. He stood there trying to remember the last thing he said to her as she climbed out of the car that night. It wasn't those words and he hated himself everyday because of it. They were on the tip of his tongue, but he held them back for some reason.

As the priest droned on and on about Stephanie being in a better place, Ranger got angry. Her place was in his arms not in that coffin or prancing around in Heaven. The priests words about remembering the good times and celebrating her life instead of mourning only served to anger Ranger more. How could he celebrate when he didn't even feel like living. How was he expected to be happy when he knew he'd never see Stephanie again. He'd never get to touch her, taste her, or whisper words of love into her ear. He'd never get to hear her moan over food or watch her expression when she realized she accidentally said something out loud. Ranger stopped listening to the priest all together when he moved on to living without regrets. He didn't need to hear about being regretful. Ranger's life was so full of regret that he didn't know how he was going to work through them all.

Why didn't he insist on her staying at Haywood that night? She would have done anything he asked her to if he'd just said please. Why didn't he that night? Why did he assume he'd have more time to tell her he loved her? His biggest regret was that he didn't tell Stephanie how he felt about her years ago. He'd wasted so much time and had he just been honest with himself and her, then they could have had more time together. She probably would have been living with him so this tragedy would have never happened and he wouldn't have been standing in that damn church alone and so numbly cold from grief.

After the service, Ranger stood in the shadows as the men carried her casket out to the waiting hearse. Her family followed with tears falling from their eyes. No one looked his way and he was thankful for that. He didn't want to see anyone because if he saw them, he would have to talk and there was no way he could speak. His voice stopped working right after Tank shattered his dreams and he didn't see it coming back any time soon.

He watched as the church emptied, never coming out of his hiding spot. He watched his men file out and knew that they were going to the cemetery to watch her get lowered into the ground. He wouldn't be there. He couldn't see his love disappear from his sight for ever. So he stood, staring at the church around him. Just like his heart, it was empty and cold. His life ended the minute hers did. His desire to take a breath ended when she stopped breathing.

After he was sure everyone was gone, Ranger stepped out of the church and looked at the darkened sky. He cursed Mother Nature for mocking him that day. Rain fell from the dark clouds just like the tears fell from his dark eyes. The cold wind whipped his jacket around him and he felt the chill all the way to his soul. His life was empty without her and he didn't know how to live now that she was gone.

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A/N - This chapter was actually the first one I wrote of this story. I know you all have questions, but stick with me! Let me know what you thought of the funeral chapter. It was hard to write, how was it to read?


	15. Shred of Hope

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews! I'm basking in the glow of all your love for this story. It's blown me away. I'm back 'on line' now, but I haven't had the chance to respond individually, but I read each and every review and LOVE knowing what you all think. Keep them coming!

Potterwench...you busted your butt to get these chapters out this past weekend and I THANK you from the bottom of my heart! You're amazing!

WARNING...grab a tissue or two again!

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**Chapter 15 - Shred of Hope**

Ranger waited until the day after the funeral to visit her grave. He couldn't bring himself to go when other people were there. He didn't want to see their tears or their pain. He would feel the need to comfort them and he wasn't able to offer anyone comfort. Not when he hurt so damn bad.

He walked slowly up the hill to the fresh grave with a heaviness in his heart. The headstone was in place and reading it broke his heart more. Whoever ordered it labeled her as a devoted daughter, aunt and friend. They had no idea the woman she was. She was beyond devoted and she was more than just a friend to many, many people. He wanted to order a new headstone and add wife. Legally they weren't married, but it sure as hell felt like they were in spirit. Ranger didn't need a piece of paper to tell him they were together. He knew she belonged to him just as much as he belonged to her.

The fresh dirt was soft and sank down when Ranger kneeled in front of the grave. For the first time in days he spoke. He knew it was silly, but he felt like this was the only place she could hear him and he had so much he wanted to say to her.

"Babe..." His voice betrayed him and cracked right off the bat. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Babe, I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to protect you this time. I should have been there and I'll punish myself everyday for the rest of my life."

Ranger paused and wiped a tear away. "The last time I saw you, I didn't tell you how much I loved you and I can't for the life of me figure out why. I should have told AND shown you every day that I love you. I love you with every ounce of my being and I regret not proving that to you. There's a ring sitting in my safe that I had made just for you. I was going to ask you to marry me on the anniversary of our first meeting. I think you would have said yes." Ranger's heart broke knowing that he'd never get to hear her answer to that question. He'd never get to hear her say, I do.

"I wanted so much for us, Babe. I wanted to marry you, to have babies with you. I wanted to take you around the world and show you so many things. I wanted to wake up every morning with you in my arms and now that you're gone, I don't know what to do. I can't go into the office because I expect to see you there. I can't talk to the guys because I expect them to tell me something you've done. I can't sleep because you're not there. I don't eat because it's not the same without your moans. I can't even look at myself in the mirror because I keep expecting to see you walk up behind me. What am I going to do without you, Babe?" Ranger dropped his head in his hands and sobbed.

When he finally had himself under control, Ranger stood up and placed the bouquet of roses he brought on top of her head stone. He kissed his hand and placed it on the cold stone. "I will never forget you Stephanie Plum and I will never stop loving you. No matter what happens in my life, I will always know that you are...were the love of my life. Goodbye Babe." With one last glance at the head stone, Ranger turned and walked away from her final resting place.

Ranger walked a ways through the cemetery when an approaching car made him stop. He recognized the Plum family car and tried to look for a way to hide, but it was too late. He had been seen and he knew a confrontation was coming. Ranger watched in horror as the passenger side door opened and Stephanie's niece, Mary Alice climbed out. She got an excited look on her face when she spotted the man in black.

"Mr. Ranger!" Mary Alice wrapped her arms around Ranger's waist and he was stunned for a second. She'd never, in the few times he'd met her, shown such open affection to him. She mainly kept to herself and acted like a horse. Ranger shook himself out of his daze and hugged the little girl back. He noticed Frank Plum standing at the car with a concerned look on his face.

When Mary Alice finally let go, Ranger kneeled down to look at her face. He noticed the tears falling out of her eyes and seeing them broke his heart. He brushed them off her cheeks and then smiled at the little girl. "How are you doing, kid?" Ranger's voice was rough and full of emotion.

"I'm okay. I wanted to talk to you. I looked for you yesterday, but Grandpa said you probably needed space." Mary Alice looked down and sighed. Then she looked back up at Ranger. "My Aunt Stephie always told me that if I EVER needed help with anything, I was to call you. Can you help me?"

Ranger's heart broke even more upon hearing that Stephanie trusted her niece with him. She could have told this little girl to go see Morelli. He is a cop and trustworthy. It humbled him to know that Stephanie trusted him more than Joe. Ranger realized the little girl was staring at him with wide eyes so he knew he had to answer her. "I can try. What do you need help with?"

"I need you to find my Aunt Stephie." Mary Alice's voice was whisper soft. Ranger hung his head and felt a tear fall. How was he supposed to tell this little girl that he already knew where her aunt was?

Mary Alice caught his hesitation and continued her plea. "I know she's not really dead. I know she's somewhere waiting for us to find her. I need your help, please." Ranger looked into her hope filled eyes and saw that she truly believed what she was saying.

"Querida, why do you think your aunt is still alive?" Ranger hated to ask that question, but he knew he needed the answer.

"Because I KNOW. She doesn't feel dead to me. Does that make sense?" Ranger nodded his head because if he was honest with himself, he felt the same thing. He'd always felt a connection to Stephanie and even though he knew she wasn't close to him, he also didn't feel that she was totally gone. He chalked it up to wishful thinking and tried to brush off the feeling. Hearing the little girl speak the same feeling sparked a small shred of hope in his heart.

"It makes perfect sense, Querida. I'll do everything I can to look for your aunt. I won't rest until I find out the truth, okay?" Mary Alice smiled and wrapped her little arms around his neck. Ranger hugged her back, trying to control the tears forming in his eyes. When Mary Alice let go again, she ran back to the car and climbed into the front passenger seat. Frank was waiting for Ranger beside his Turbo. He offered him a hand which Ranger shook when he got close enough.

"How are you holding up, Son?" Ranger was stunned at the use of the word son. Frank caught his look and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry it took something like this for me to acknowledge you. You and my daughter had a special relationship. I saw that from the beginning. You were the one that she loved, even when she was with the cop. You were going to marry her weren't you?"

Ranger recovered from his shock and nodded his head. There was a lump in his throat so he couldn't speak. Frank understood and just let out a long sigh. "For what it's worth, I always thought you were the better man. I would be honored to have you as a part of our family. Even with Stephanie gone, you're always welcome to come and visit." Ranger nodded again. He was humbled by the older man's words.

"I don't know what Mary Alice had to say to you, but she insisted that we find you. She looked for you yesterday, but I guess it was too hard."

"I was there, you just couldn't see me." Ranger finally swallowed the lump in his throat and found his voice. "I couldn't..." Frank held up a hand.

"You don't owe me an explanation. I understand. I'm glad you're here today though. You need to say goodbye too." Frank looked past the man in front of him and toward where Stephanie was buried. "I'm going to talk to my little girl. Don't be a stranger, Carlos." Ranger nodded and watched the older man walk up the hill to the grave. He took one last look at the little girl smiling in the car and folded himself into his Turbo. He didn't want to go back to the office just yet, but he had a promise to keep.

Ranger sped back to the Haywood office and every guy working on the fifth floor was shocked to see him storm through the stairwell door. "Meeting, conference room, ten minutes. Spread the word. I want everyone there."

Tank looked nervously at Bobby who was sitting at the monitors beside him. Tank sent out the text, informing everyone of the upcoming meeting. He pulled in two contract workers to sit at the monitors so that he and Bobby could hear what the boss had to say.

Ten minutes later, the conference room was full. Every RangeMan Trenton employee either sat around the table or lounged against the wall. Tank kept looking at the man sitting at the head of the table. He couldn't read Ranger's face and that worried him. When Ranger didn't start the meeting, Tank decided to take control and get his boss's attention.

"You called this meeting, Ranger. What's up?" Tank's booming voice quieted the chatter in the room and interrupted the thoughts racing through Ranger's head. Ranger looked around and stood up at his seat.

He knew the guys were going to question his sanity once he gave these orders, but he didn't really care. "I want every shred of information on Stephanie. Anything you have, I want it. I want to know which of my enemies were sniffing around and I want all this shit NOW! I don't think she's really dead and I need to know who the fuck has her." The guys looked at each other and then to Tank. Ranger caught their questioning gazes and it pissed him off.

"YOU DON'T ANSWER TO HIM, YOU ANSWER TO ME! If you don't like it, then get the fuck out now!" The guys all stood up to gather the information requested by their boss. The only guys who stayed behind were Tank, Bobby, Les and Rodriguez. They were all concerned for their boss and friend. Ranger collapsed into the chair and put his head in his hands.

"What's going on, Ranger?" Tank asked and tried to make his voice sound as non-confrontational as possible.

"It doesn't matter what's going on, just follow orders." Ranger stood up and walked out of the conference room. Tank knew he was walking a fine line with his friend. He would follow his orders, but he would also keep an eye on the boss. Humoring him for a short while was doable, but Tank refused to drag this charade out for very long.

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Ranger was sitting in his office one afternoon a few months later, reading reports about his various enemies when Tank burst through the door holding a piece of paper and a huge smile. Ranger looked at him with hope filled eyes. "We found her boss. We found our girl."

Tank slapped the paper down on Ranger's desk and sat down. "An old friend of yours, a Russian mobster by the name of Vladameer Kotov, is bragging that he took something that belongs to you. His dad was big in the sex slave trade before you took him out, apparently Vladdy decided to pick up where his daddy left off. He took Stephanie to get back at you and word is he's putting her up for sale in a few days. We have the location of the sale; we just need to put someone undercover as a buyer and we'll get her back."

Ranger picked up the phone immediately and called a meeting with most of the RangeMan Trenton guys. In a matter of hours, they had a plan formed and were all on the private jet heading toward Montreal, Canada...the place where the sale was supposed to take place.

The day of the big sale came around and the guys were on the ground and geared up. Tank was the one undercover as the buyer and Ranger was the one going in to take out the son of a bitch who took his Babe. The rest of the guys were there as back up just in case something went wrong.

Tank knew that he had all of Ranger's money to play with to make sure he won Stephanie, so the second he saw her he started the bidding war. He wasn't surprised when three others started bidding against him. Two of them backed off when the amount surpassed one point seven million dollars. It was he and one other man and neither of them were stopping. Finally, the other man gave up when Tank took the bid over two million. The auction ended and he had won.

He left to go pick up his 'merchandise' and once Stephanie was safe in his arms, he gave the code to Ranger that she was safe and left him to do whatever it was that he did. Tank escorted a frightened Stephanie out of the building and into the arms of her brothers.

Stephanie enjoyed being back in the arms of her friends, but their arms weren't the ones she wanted. It seemed like hours before she finally felt that tingle on the back of her neck letting her know that Ranger was close. She pulled herself out of Les' arms and saw the man she needed most.

Ranger was walking toward the group without one ounce of regret in his mind. He had just killed a man, but he felt nothing but excitement upon seeing his Babe again. Once he saw her, she started running toward him and all he could do was open his arms and brace for the impact that he knew was coming.

All the guys cheered when she hit his chest. Their lips only stayed apart for a few seconds after that and their kiss only made the guys cheer louder. She was finally back in his arms, right where she was supposed to be.

Stephanie pulled back and looked into Ranger's eyes. "You found me." Stephanie whispered as she stroked his face.

Ranger mimicked Stephanie's actions and traced her face with his finger. The same finger that pulled the trigger on the gun he had used to kill a man. "I will always find you, Babe. There's nothing that I wouldn't do to keep you safe. I love you so much, Stephanie Plum."

Stephanie smiled up at him. "I love you too, Carlos." He kissed her again and poured every ounce of love and desire into that kiss. They both moaned when their tongues met and the desire between them built.

A throat clearing behind them caused them to finally break apart. "Alright you two, why don't we get you back to the hotel and you can really have some fun!" Tank laughed at Stephanie's blush. Ranger picked her up and carried her to the waiting SUV. He climbed in behind her and pulled her back into his arms. He didn't want to let her go.

Once they got back to the hotel, Ranger carried Stephanie up to his room and slammed the door behind him. He needed to be inside her, to confirm that she was in fact still alive. She needed the same things he did, because her lips were on his skin the second the door closed.

Their hands became frantic to remove the offending articles of clothing and soon, they were both naked and lying together on the bed. Ranger stroked his hands down Stephanie's body as his cock sat, poised at her entrance. "I love you, Babe. I will love you until I die. Will you marry me? Make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?"

He watched as tears filled her eyes. She opened her mouth to answer and he held his breath. "Yes, Carlos. Yes I will marry you!" He kissed her as he slid inside her welcoming warmth.

They made slow passionate love all night long. They took each other to heights that they'd never experienced before. When one would pass out from exhaustion, they would rest for a short time before one would wake up and reach out for the other. They stayed in constant contact the entire night. Ranger was afraid that if he let her go, she would disappear again.

In between their love making, they spoke in whispers. They both shared their dreams and their desires. Ranger told Stephanie about his fears and Stephanie told Ranger about the baby. He was beyond excited that they were going to have a child together. Everything was perfect in his world again.

Finally, they both succumbed to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. It had been a trying day, after all. Ranger woke up first the next morning with a smile on his face. He reached for Stephanie, but only found empty sheets. He sat up in bed and looked around the room. Something wasn't right.

"Babe?" He called and his voice echoed through the room. "Where are you?" She didn't answer him, so he got up and decided to look for her. He walked into the bathroom, but it was empty. He glanced out toward the kitchen, but she wasn't there. He sat down on his bed and wondered where she could have gone.

He looked around the room and it hit him. He was back in his bedroom at Haywood, not at the hotel. He realized that it had all been a dream and instantly reality came crashing back down. She was still gone and they'd had no luck finding any shred of evidence that led them to believe she was still alive.

Ranger could still smell her on his skin; he could still taste her on his lips. He still heard her moans and her voice saying that she loved him. He felt his hand still resting possessively over her stomach where his child grew. But, all of it was a lie, all of it was a dream and Ranger collapsed onto the bed realizing that he'd never have any of those things ever again.

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A/N - Please don't stone me again. I realize how mean the last section of this chapter was. Feel free to flame me in reviews! I'll be cowering in the corner!

I know you all are wishing and praying for them to find her...just stick with me! I promise you won't be disappointed.


	16. Moving on Doesn't Mean You Forget

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Still blown away by your reviews! I'm ecstatic that you all are getting so involved in this story. Here's the next chapter for your reading pleasure! Enjoy!

Hugs to Potterwench, my fantastic beta!

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**Chapter 16 - Moving on Doesn't Mean you Forget**

After that vivid and realistic dream, Ranger became like a madman. He upped the search for Stephanie and refused to back down from finding her. He didn't sleep much because when he slept, he dreamt of her. Ranger got to hold her and kiss her in his dreams, but they always ended. Ranger always woke up and went back to being alone. Ranger quickly learned to hate the sound of his alarm. Tank saw his best friend spiraling into madness, and he tried to stop him; but that only earned him a busted nose and a few bruised ribs when Ranger thoroughly kicked his ass on the mats.

On Stephanie's birthday, Ranger disappeared off the grid again. The guys all let out a sigh of relief knowing that they had a night of reprieve from his wrath. Since Ranger was out of the office, the guys decided to gather together for a few drinks after work in memory of their fallen friend.

Anyone who was able, and wanted to, met at Shorty's that night. The restaurant was empty, which the Merry Men appreciated. They wanted a night of peace to remember Stephanie. Almost every man from RangeMan Trenton was present for that celebration. The two poor souls left working the monitors were Woody and Vince. Everyone else met for drinks and reflection.

"I still can't believe she's gone." Bobby said from behind his mug of beer. He was off for the night so he chose alcohol instead of the sodas that some of the other guys were drinking.

"I know what you mean. I still keep expecting her to come bouncing into the office smiling and eating her donuts. I'll never understand how that woman looked so damn good while eating such horrible things." Zero chuckled and shook his head. The rest of the guys chuckled with him.

"Do you all remember when she blew up the Boxster?" Cal was laughing with a twinkle in his eye. Everyone around the table nodded. Ranger had been pissed at first until he heard what happened. How close she had come to dying in that explosion. If it hadn't been for that garbage truck hitting the car, Stephanie would have died a long time ago.

"That was Ranger's favorite car and he'd only had it for like what, a month or two?" Les laughed and shook his head. "I think that's when I first saw that what he felt for her went waaayyyy beyond friendship. Do you all remember what he did to me when I scratched his truck? I got the shit beat out of me for a month and it was just a scratch. Stephanie not only blew up the Boxster, she flattened it too!" The guys around the table all chuckled again.

"Yeah, but you don't look as good as Stephanie did. So, that's why the boss beat your ass." Tank threw in his two cents on the subject.

"So what was the official car count? Anyone know?" Dante asked after taking a shot of Cuervo.

"Morelli has the exact total, but our calculations are around twenty." Cal answered the question and everyone whistled.

"How did one little girl cause so much destruction?" Hal shook his head and sipped his soda.

"How did that one little girl stun you with our own tazer?" The table erupted into laughter at Hector's jab. "I still have that on video. I watch it when I miss her. It makes me laugh."

When the laughter died down, Hal looked seriously at Hector. "Can I get a copy of that?" Everyone else asked too and Hector promised to deliver the video the next day to everyone. He had a full file of pictures and videos that his friends would want. He decided that night to put together a little disk for them.

"So what happened between you and Gloria, Bobby? Everyone thought you two were getting really close?" Les looked at his partner. He knew the reason for Bobby's decision to break up with her and he could honestly say that he didn't blame him.

"I don't know. I liked her and I could see myself falling for her, but then Stephanie died and I saw what Ranger went through and realized that I couldn't go through that. I'm happy being unattached if it means that I don't have to feel that kind of loss and pain." Everyone at the table nodded in agreement.

"I can't leave Lula. I've backed off a bit for the same reasons, but she lost her best friend and I can't just leave her now. She's helping me move on and I'm helping her too. She stayed in bed for a week after the funeral." Tank hung his head and swigged his beer.

"We hear ya. Connie wasn't much better. I saw her in the office and she looked terrible. Lula refuses to go into the office so it's like Connie lost two friends." Ram commented and poured some more beer in his mug. The table fell silent again for several minutes. Each man lost in his own thoughts and memories.

Breaking the silence, Rodriguez asked the question that everyone at the table had been wondering. "So how long are we going to let him look for her?"

Tank ran his hand over his face and swished the amber-colored liquid in his glass. "I don't know. Telling him to stop is going to be like standing in front of a freight train and holding up your hand expecting it to just stop moving for you." The guys all gave a knowing nod. "All I know is that he can't keep going like he has been. He's heading for a crash and he's going to burn. I just hope he doesn't take us all down with him."

"I've got your back when the time comes, Tank. We'll do it together." Bobby smacked his friend on the back. Everyone at the table nodded in agreement. Tank knew he had support when the time came to finally stop the charging bull.

"Do you think Ranger will stick around Trenton? I mean, after he's done searching, do you think he'll stay?" Zero asked the table. He hated to see Ranger leave, but knew deep down that he probably would.

"Could you stay in the place where a lost love haunted your every waking minute? The only thing holding him here now is the hope that she's still alive. When I take that away from him, there's going to be nothing left for him." Tank said sadly and drained his bourbon.

"He'll go back to Miami. Julie is there and he'll need her to get him through this. She's been emailing me and telling me how worried she is about the boss. I guess they've talked over text and email." Les downed his shot and chased it with a swig of beer.

"You think we'll ever see him again when he leaves?" Zip sucked his soda down and motioned for the waitress to bring him another.

"If you want to see him, you'll have to go to Miami. Once he leaves here, he won't be back." Cal declared and everyone at the table agreed.

The table fell silent again as the waitress brought over fresh drinks and another bottle of tequila. Pouring himself a shot, Junior smirked and thought about his favorite Stephanie moment. "Do you guys remember Bomber's first distraction? She was so nervous, but she did an amazing job. And all her talk about group sex night...that was hot." Everyone at the table laughed and Junior continued. "I was with Ranger listening to the audio and you should have seen his grip on the steering wheel. I thought he was going to break it off."

"Shit, I've seen Ranger in some pretty tense situations, but when he was around Bombshell...it was like a whole different situation. I can't believe it took them so long to finally get together. We all saw how much they loved each other, why the hell couldn't they see it?" Bobby chuckled and shook his head.

"Beats the hell out of me! I was just glad we stopped getting the shit kicked out of us when she went back to Morelli." Les said downing his shot. "I was so happy when Joe came over and removed Ranger's head from his ass. He did us all a huge favor." The table nodded in agreement.

"Did you all hear that he's engaged now? He asked Hannah to marry him last week and of course she said yes." Ram, the office gossip said. "Connie thinks Hannah is pregnant, but the rest of the Burg says she's not." Everyone looked at him incredulously. He sounded just like a little old lady at the hair salon. "What? Don't look at me like that. I like to be informed."

The table burst out laughing again as they continued talking about their favorite memories of Stephanie. After several hours, everyone but Tank, Les, Bobby, and Dante left to head back to RangeMan. The four friends moved their party to a back table and Dante poured four shots of Cuervo. He had every intention of getting totally shit-faced that night and wanted his friends to join him.

Les picked up his shot and held it up high. "Beautiful, we knew you and we loved you. You changed our lives and made us better men. Even though you're no longer here, you will never be forgotten and you will be always be loved." The guys clinked their shot glasses together and then downed the tequila. Tears filled their eyes, but it wasn't because of the burning liquid being poured down their throats. They all stayed late into the night drinking and remembering the woman who would always remain in their hearts. It was their way of saying goodbye.

After that night, the guys seemed to get a little better. They each kept their memories of Stephanie in their hearts, but they didn't dwell on them like before. They occasionally had drinking sessions where they would reminisce about her and that was okay. Hector kept his promise and made each man in the building a disk with video and pictures of Stephanie on it. Each man locked himself in private and cried the first time they saw it. Les and Rodriguez both printed up some of the pictures and kept them close to their hearts.

Ranger, on the other hand, wasn't getting better. He was getting worse. He didn't sleep. He didn't eat. Tank could see the haunted look in his friend's eyes. Ranger needed someone to stop him because he couldn't do it himself. Tank knew that responsibility was going to fall on him.

Tank let Ranger search for Stephanie for six months. Six months of tying up resources and working the men to death. Six months of Ranger growling and beating up anyone who looked at him. Six months of seeing his friend fall deeper and deeper into denial and depression. Finally, Tank had enough.

He ordered the men to stop the Stephanie search and to continue on with their normal job duties. He ordered some of them to take days off. Most hadn't gotten any time off since Ranger ordered the search. They were all exhausted and frustrated and in the six months that they'd been looking, they'd found nothing.

There wasn't a shred of evidence that led anyone to believe Stephanie Plum was still alive. Tank knew it was going to be hard for his friend to admit, but it was time for him to move on. He needed to heal and doing crazy shit like they'd been doing wasn't helping him. It was making it worse.

When Tank saw Ranger that morning, he motioned for him to follow him into his office. Bobby, Les, Hal, Cal and Rodriguez were all waiting in there for him. It was time for an intervention. Tank closed the door and Hal and Cal took up residence in front of it so that there wasn't an escape route for Ranger.

Ranger knew what was going to happen the minute he walked into Tank's office. He looked around at all his so-called friends and glared. His back was stiff and he was ready for their attacks. He refused to give up without a fight.

"Ranger..." Tank's voice was soft and full of concern. Ranger didn't let his guard down though. He was still waiting for the attack. "Carlos, it's time to stop this. It's been six months and you're wearing yourself out. The men are exhausted. You are exhausted. It's time to just stop. In the past six months, you've found nothing to support your claim that she's alive. No new evidence, no enemies snooping around. Nothing! You've spent every waking moment on searching for a ghost. You've neglected your family and friends and you've forgotten about your business. It's time to stop and finally tell her goodbye. She's gone Ranger. She's gone and she's not coming back. I need you to step up and take back control of your company."

Ranger glared at the group of men in the office with him. He refused to give up on her. He refused to stop looking. "No, and if you don't want to help me then get the fuck out, you're fired!"

Tank shook his head hoping that it didn't come to this but he knew what he had to do. "That wasn't a request. That was an order." Ranger's eyes snapped to his. Tank saw the rage boiling behind Ranger's gaze and for the first time in a long time, Tank was scared.

"Think again, Pierre. You don't give ME orders." Ranger's voice was ice cold and deadly.

"I do when you're not capable of making wise choices." Ranger turned his hard glare toward Bobby. Ranger knew he was the one leading the charge.

"You have something you want to say to me Brown?" Bobby stood and approached his boss and friend.

"This isn't healthy, Carlos. This obsession has reached a critical level and it is past time that we stepped in. You're no longer fit to lead this company." Bobby watched Ranger's demeanor sag. Les stood up next and walked to Ranger.

"I miss her too, Carlos. I miss her everyday and I would love to see her again, but it's not going to happen. Not until I die and hopefully, I'll go wherever she is. She's not here anymore. She died and I'm sorry about that, but it's time to let her go. Honor her by moving on. You can still love her after you tell her goodbye." Les let a tear fall out of his eye. It was painful to think about Stephanie. He hated telling Ranger to move on, but it was time. Keeping on with how he'd been acting would kill his cousin and Les knew that.

Les backed away and sat back down. Rodriguez stood up and approached Ranger. Of all the men in the office, he was the newest addition to her life, but that didn't mean he loved her any less than the rest of them. "Carlos, the man in front of me isn't the man I know. You're a ghost of yourself and it's scary. You told me years ago that you don't make mistakes. You pride yourself on always being right, but it's okay to be wrong about this. It's okay to give up. It's okay to take a step back and breathe. It's okay to tell her goodbye. Moving on doesn't mean you have to forget her." Ranger sagged more and hung his head. Their words were sinking in and he was breaking. They all saw it.

"I can't." They almost didn't hear his whisper. Tank walked up and stood in front of him.

"Why can't you, Carlos? What's stopping you?" Tank was no longer angry with his friend. He was thankful that he was actually willing to talk and to listen to what they had to say.

"There's a little girl counting on me to find her aunt." This was the first time Ranger spoke about his conversation with Mary Alice.

"What do you mean, Boss Man?" Bobby stood up and looked at Ranger.

"Mary Alice doesn't think Stephanie is dead. She thinks she's waiting for us to rescue her and she begged me to find her. I can't let her down." Ranger was exhausted and collapsed into a chair. The guys all understood better the driving force behind Ranger's obsession. "I just can't go back to her and tell her that I give up. I can't see that pain on her face when she realizes that I think she's gone too." The guys watched a tear fall from Ranger's eye.

"I'll handle talking to Mary Alice. You need a vacation and some time away from Trenton." Ranger looked at Tank. He knew his friend was telling the truth, but he didn't want to leave the place that held the memories. "You always planned to go back to Miami. Stephanie was the only thing holding you here and now that she's gone, it's okay for you to go too."

"You want me to leave?" Ranger's voice sounded small. It hurt him to think his friends didn't want him around anymore.

"No, I don't WANT you to leave, but I know you need to. You need to heal and you need to move on with your life. You can't do that staying here." Ranger looked at the men in the office. Not one had a dry eye including him. He could see how much they were hurting. Not just hurting for themselves, but they were hurting FOR him too. He knew he needed to go and he knew he owed these guys an apology.

"I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I know everything you've all said is true and I know I need to step away and heal." The guys waved off the apology like it was nothing. "I guess I'm going to Miami. Tank, will you watch the business while I take some time off?" He didn't even need to ask that question. He knew Tank would do whatever he needed to do.

"You know I will. And if there's anything we can do to help you, all you need to do is let us know. We're here for you. We all loved her and we miss her too." Ranger nodded and stood up from the chair. He hugged each man in the office and walked to the door.

"Send an email notifying the branches of the temporary leadership change. I'll drive down to my house in Miami tonight, and then when I'm ready, I'll take over that office. Once I say goodbye to Stephanie tonight, I don't plan on ever coming back. Thank you guys for all you've done." Ranger didn't wait for their response. He silently walked out of Tank's office and straight down to the garage. He hopped in the Turbo and drove to the cemetery. It had been six months since he'd been there but he still knew exactly where she was buried.

"Hey, Babe! I guess you've watched me go a little crazy down here, huh? I'm sorry if I let you down. I lost it and I feel so far removed from the man who you once knew. Losing you nearly drove me insane. I guess that's a way to prove to you how much I love you. I'm saying goodbye now because it's the best thing to do. I can't keep holding onto hope because it will eventually kill me. I'm sorry if I'm letting you down. I'm sorry that I wasn't stronger. I wasn't your Batman." Ranger wiped the tears away from his cheeks. "I still love you and you will always hold a place in my heart, but it's time for me to leave, Babe. I see you everywhere here and it hurts so damn bad. I hope when I die, I get to be where you are. Some sweet day, we'll see each other again. Until then...I love you." Ranger bent and kissed the cold stone and then strode purposefully toward his car. He never once looked back. He pointed his car south and drove to a place where Stephanie Plum didn't haunt his every waking moment.

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A/N - Sorry this chapter is so late in the day. I haven't had the best morning, but wanted to get this out for you all. I would love to hear what your thoughts are after reading this chapter. Just remember to stick with me!


	17. Picking up the Pieces

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

I just want to say how amazing you all are! I'm loving reading all the reviews. I'm sorry if you think I'm keeping you in limbo, but trust me when I say that answers are coming! There's hope in this chapter if you squint. This story is a journey with bumps and turns and you don't always end up going the way you originally thought; BUT if you hang with me I promise you that you're in for one hell of a ride and you'll eventually get to where you want to go!

Many thanks to my beta, Potterwench. Couldn't do this without you Babe!

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**Chapter 17 - Picking up the Pieces**

Tank pulled up in front of the Plum house and let out a long sigh. This was one conversation that he didn't want to have. He had called ahead and arranged a time to talk to Mary Alice. Stephanie's father understood his request and guaranteed that the child would be there and that Grandma Mazur would be out on a bus trip with friends. She was nothing but an encouragement to Mary Alice, so they kept the two apart as much as possible. Tank was thankful because he really didn't want to deal with grandma's fast hands AND worry about what she would say to Mary Alice. The family was anxious for her to finally give up the hope she's held onto for the past six months. They've tried to move on, but it was hard with Mary Alice still asking when Aunt Stephie is coming home. She'd put all her faith in Ranger to find her and Tank knew that this conversation was going to break her little heart.

Tank climbed out of the SUV and walked solemnly up to the front door. It was opened immediately after he knocked by Helen Plum. She didn't look like her normal put together self. Her eyes were dark and red rimmed and she looked haggard. She welcomed Tank and showed him to the living room where everyone was sitting. Helen offered him a drink and some snacks, but Tank refused. His stomach was in knots and he knew he couldn't eat.

The second he sat down on the couch, Mary Alice was excitedly bouncing in front of him. She had such a look of hope on her little face. "You work with Mr. Ranger, don't you? You're here about what I asked him, aren't you? Did you find her? Did you finally find my Aunt Stephie?"

"Aunt Stephanie is dead, MA. They can't find her." The older sister, Angie, spoke up and scoffed at her younger sister. Frank Plum shot his oldest granddaughter a look that made her hold her tongue.

"She's NOT dead. I know it. Where's Mr. Ranger? He promised me he'd find her." Mary Alice looked back at Tank and raised an eyebrow. Stephanie would be pissed at that if she were still alive.

Tank knew it was time to step up and do what he went there to do. "I do work for Ranger, Mary Alice. We've worked for the past six months trying to find your aunt, but we haven't been able to find anything. Everything we've found just..." Tank searched for the right words to say to the little girl. "...it's just reinforced what we already know. Stephanie is dead and she's not coming back and I'm so sorry about that."

Mary Alice started shaking her head frantically. "I don't believe you! She's not dead! Where's Mr. Ranger? I don't like you."

"Ranger left for Miami yesterday. I sent him away so he could start to heal. He was making himself sick. He knows she's gone and he needs to move on. He asked me to talk to you for him." A look of pure rage fell over the little girl's face.

Before Tank could stop her, she kicked her little foot out, hit him directly in the shin and then she yelled at him. "You're a big ole meanie! You made Mr. Ranger go away. You made him stop looking for her! She's out there waiting for us to find her and you made him stop. Now she'll never be found!" Tears fell from her eyes, but Tank knew they were angry tears. Not tears of sadness.

Valerie spoke up, trying to reason with her young daughter. "MA, we've talked about this. Aunt Stephie is with God now. She's watching over you from heaven, remember?"

"She's not dead! She's waiting somewhere. She's scared and lonely and she doesn't think any of us are looking for her. She's losing hope I can feel it! Please help me!" Mary Alice looked desperately at Tank and the look in her eyes broke his heart.

"I'm so sorry, Mary Alice. Stephanie isn't out there waiting. She's gone honey. She died six months ago in a terrible accident." Tank watched in horror as Mary Alice's tiny lip started to quiver and her eyes filled with tears.

Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke again. "She's not dead. You'll see! She doesn't need everyone to give up on her, so I'm going to find her myself. I don't need your stupid help anymore. You never really loved her anyway." Tank watched as the little girl ran out of the living room. They heard her little feet on the stairs and then a slam of a door upstairs.

Tank let out a long sigh and ran his hand over his bald head. Helen and Valerie left the living room to check on the distraught little girl. Frank approached and offered Tank his hand. "Thank you for everything you've done. I'm glad you made Carlos stop and leave. I saw him last week and he looked beyond exhausted. He needed to get away."

Tank nodded and walked toward the door. "If there's anything we can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask. Stephanie meant the world to us and we miss her every day." Frank nodded and watched the big man walk to his SUV. Frank knew that it was probably the last time he would ever see a man in black in his house again.

####

Ranger arrived at his house in Miami early in the morning. He drove all night, breaking every posted speed limit. He didn't care; he just needed to get away from every painful memory. When he arrived at the house, he collapsed into bed and slept until the next morning. He didn't tell anyone that he was in town because he needed time alone.

He stayed locked in his house for three weeks before telling anyone he was in town. There was no one that he wanted to see except his daughter. Julie was the one person who could see through the tough exterior of her father. She could see everything he felt and Ranger wasn't ready for anyone to know just how much pain he was still in.

When he finally called Julie, her mother agreed to let her stay a few days with Ranger. Rachel dropped her off one Friday and she wasn't scheduled to pick her up until Monday morning. Ranger hadn't spoken to his daughter since before Stephanie died. They texted and emailed during the six months of searching, but he couldn't speak to her. Julie's bond with Stephanie was tight after the Scrog incident. Ranger knew that the two girls in his life communicated off and on. Julie loved Stephanie and even pestered Ranger about asking her out.

Julie was beyond excited when Ranger told her that he'd finally gotten the girl. Julie kept asking about a wedding and said she was ready for a step-mom. Ranger was happy that his daughter accepted Stephanie in his life. Telling Julie that Steph was gone was hard. Ranger got updates from Rachel that Julie was crying herself to sleep at night and that she was sad for her father's loss. Ranger did what he could for her through email and texts but it wasn't enough.

The second Julie saw her dad standing at the front door she ran to him and hugged him tighter than he ever remembered her doing. She had tears pouring out of her eyes and his weren't dry either. Ranger stroked her dark hair and whispered calming words in her ear. When she finally calmed down, he pulled her back to wipe the tears off her face.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy. I'm sorry you lost her. I know how much you loved her." Julie sobbed into her dad's chest again.

Ranger didn't know exactly what to say, so he just kissed her and whispered, "I'm sorry too, Querida. I'm sorry too."

They stayed locked together for several minutes. Rachel silently left Julie's bag and closed the door leaving father and daughter to comfort one another. She knew being together was what they both needed.

Ranger spent that weekend telling Julie all about Stephanie. He told her story after story of the crazy things she got into. He told her about their first meeting and about falling in love with the curly headed woman. They both laughed and they both cried. It was the first time since the accident that took Stephanie away, that Ranger felt normal.

Julie spent the weekend talking to her dad. She was happy to see him actually smiling and laughing and she also knew that she was probably the only person besides Tank that could talk frankly with him. She waited until Sunday to talk to him about his life post Stephanie.

"So what are you going to do now, Dad? Are you staying here or are you going back to Trenton or some other office?" Ranger wasn't surprised at the question. He had asked himself that same question about one-hundred times.

"How would you like me to stay here?" Julie's eyes got wide and she smiled brightly at her father. Ranger didn't think he could ever go back to Trenton and he didn't want to go to another office. He wanted to be close to his daughter. Julie was all he had left.

"You really mean that? You're going to stay here?" Julie jumped into his arms and gave him a hug. When she pulled away she looked at him speculatively. "Does that mean you're going to head back to work soon?" Ranger raised his eyebrow and looked at his daughter. She giggled before talking again. "I'm just saying that it's time for you to move on a little bit. I'm not saying forget about Stephanie, because I know you never will, but you are still alive. You need to start living again. Go back to work. Find someone to take on a date. Live."

Ranger hung his head. He knew what his daughter said was true, but it was too painful. He wanted to pacify his daughter, so he started with agreeing to something small. "How about I start with going back to work? I'll work on the rest later."

"Sounds like a plan, Man! Get comfortable back at work and then when you're ready, we'll work on the dating. I have someone in mind for you." Ranger's heart hurt thinking about seeing another woman. He knew, deep down, at some point he might find someone, but it was too soon to even contemplate it.

"When I'm ready for that step, you'll be the first person I tell, Querida." Ranger hugged his daughter and held onto her tight. At that minute, holding his daughter in his arms, he knew he would eventually be okay. She would help him move on with his life.

Ranger drove to RangeMan Miami after Julie got picked up on Monday morning. The guys in the office were surprised to see him, but quickly fell in line when he walked through the command floor to his office. That first day back, he spent locked in his office with Miguel, the Miami office equivalent of Tank. Miguel caught him up on all the ins and outs of the contracts currently active in his branch.

The first week at work, Ranger was swamped with client meetings. He made sure to meet with all the multi-million dollar account holders personally to make sure they were happy with their service. It was a week spent kissing ass, but Ranger was thankful for the distraction. He didn't think about Stephanie one time during the day. The nights were another story.

Ranger's second week at the office started out just like the first. He was busy with clients and getting to know the men he worked with in the office. He even went out a couple times with the guys to get drinks. He did his best to act like nothing was wrong with him, but everyone around him knew he was still in mourning.

On Thursday during that second week of work, Ranger was driving to a client's business when his phone rang. The number showed up as 'Unknown' so he decided to answer it.

He used his normal greeting when the call connected. "Yo." He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but heard nothing on the other end except dead air. He pulled the phone away to see if the call was still connected. When he saw the timer going he knew that it was so he tried a different approach. "Hello?" When he still heard nothing, he hung up and dropped his phone on the seat beside him. It was probably some sales call anyway. It was a damn good thing they didn't answer him because he would have chewed their asses off.

Over the next fifteen weeks, Ranger received similar calls. It was usually on a Thursday around the same time as the first call. Each time the number was 'unavailable' and each time his neck tingled when the call connected. RangeMan had no luck tracing the call either and that is what irked him the most. He couldn't find out who was calling him and it pissed him off. With each call, his greeting kept getting angrier. The last time, he all but yelled at the person on the other end and ordered them to stop calling. Hopefully they got the message, but he doubted it.

One night, Ranger was lounging in his apartment when another call came. It had been weeks since it had happened and he'd actually thought whoever it was got the hint. He was wrong.

Since it was his night off and he had nowhere else to be, he decided to retreat to his past for a bit. Stephanie had been gone for close to a year and he was looking at a picture of her and trying to remember exactly what she smelled like. He was having a hard time picking out the scent and it was killing him. He missed her smell, he missed her voice. He missed everything about her and it hurt that he was forgetting some of the things that he loved so much.

His finger traced Stephanie's beautiful face. He could almost feel her skin under his. He could almost hear her moaning at his touch. He closed his eyes so he could see her in his mind and maybe touch her for real there. The shrill ring of his cell phone snapped him out of his memory. The tingling started immediately. His heart rate sped up when he looked at the picture of Stephanie and he thought maybe for a brief second that it was her. Maybe she found a way to contact him from the grave. After all, the tingle was the same thing he felt when she was alive. It was how he always knew she was close.

He picked up his phone and looked at the ID. The same 'unavailable' flashed on his screen. Suddenly his breathing stopped as he connected the call. He listened for something...anything to tell him that it was her. He felt a tear trail down his face thinking about actually getting to talk to her. His brain told him that he was going crazy, but his heart was screaming and begging for it to be true. He choked out the only thing he could think of to say to her. "Babe?" It came out as a sob. He couldn't hold the emotion out of his voice. He couldn't mask the pain. It was just too real.

Usually the person on the other end waited for him to disconnect the call, that day, whoever it was ended it after his one word was spoken. When Ranger heard the disconnect tone beep in his ear, his heart filled with loss all over again. He felt just like he did that day he woke up and found out that she was dead. All the emotion and all the pain came flooding back and Ranger sank further into the couch and cried.

His mind knew that it couldn't be her. He was a smart guy. He knew that there was no way that she could call him. His heart was just hoping and he knew that holding onto that hope wasn't healthy. After letting himself cry for almost an hour, Ranger decided that night that he needed to help his heart get over her. He needed to move on and he needed to find someone to help him. He couldn't stay like this for the rest of his life so he did what he promised his daughter he would do. He picked up the phone and called her.

Julie answered sounding very happy. "Hi Dad! What's up?"

Ranger smiled. He just couldn't help it. "Hi, Querida. I'm just calling to let you know something."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Julie thought she knew what he was going to say, but she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"I told you that you'd be the first to know when I was ready to start dating again. I'm keeping that promise. I think I'm ready and you said you had the perfect woman in mind for me." Ranger felt pathetic leaving his new love life up to his young daughter, but he didn't want to patrol the clubs for one. That lifestyle didn't appeal to him any longer. Not after Stephanie.

"That's awesome! I do have the perfect woman for you. She's my English teacher. She's pretty and really nice. Her husband died about a year ago in Afghanistan. He was in the Army, like you. I've told her about you and she wants to meet you. Why don't you pick me up from school tomorrow and you can meet her?" Julie was practically bouncing on her bed as she talked to her dad. She wanted to help him any way she could.

Ranger said on a sigh, "That sounds like a good plan, Querida." He could hear Julie's squeal. It was so loud that he had to hold the phone away from his ear.

"I'm sooooo excited. You HAVE to wear something other than black when you pick me up. I don't want her to see you dressed as a commando. Got it?"

Ranger chuckled. "Got it, Querida. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, bye Dad." Ranger heard the call disconnect and let out a long sigh. He didn't know why he agreed to meet this woman the next day. He wanted to call Julie back and cancel. His heart was screaming that it was too soon, but his mind was saying that it was time. Ranger just needed to decide which one to listen to.

Ranger's mind won the battle. The next day, he was parked outside Julie's school wearing jeans and a green button-up shirt. He was also nervous. He felt so stupid standing there waiting. He heard the final bell ring and he let out a nervous breath. He guessed it was time. He saw a rush of kids run out of the building and then saw Julie walking out with an attractive woman.

She looked too young to be a widow, but maybe she aged well. She was tall, maybe an inch or two shorter than him, her skin was tanned from the sun, but he knew that it was normally light colored and she had short blonde hair. It was cut into a bob that shaped her face perfectly. She was skinny, but not unhealthy and her breasts were nice sized. As they approached, Ranger prayed silently that her eyes were not blue. He didn't think he would be able to handle another blue eyed woman.

He thanked God for listening to him when the woman got close enough. Her eyes were a dark brown. She smiled sweetly at him and offered him her hand.

"You must be Carlos Manoso. Julie has told me so much about you. I'm Rebecca James." Ranger took her hand in his and shook it lightly.

"It's nice to meet you Rebecca. Julie's told me good things about you as well." Julie watched the interaction between her dad and her teacher and smiled.

Rebecca laughed and shook her head. "I can only imagine the things Julie's told you about me. I'm surprised you wanted to meet me after hearing some of her stories." She shook her head causing her blond hair to sway around her face.

Ranger actually chuckled along with her. "I can promise that it was all good. Do you have plans for tonight? I'd like to take you out and hear some stories from you instead of Julie."

Rebecca blushed and bit her lip. "Actually, I've got plans this weekend with some friends, but I'm free next weekend and I would love to go out with you. That is if you're not busy." Ranger smiled at the woman and saw her swoon. He could hear Stephanie rolling her eyes and making some comment about how mean it is to show his smile in public.

"Next weekend would be great. Can I get your number and I'll call you next week sometime to set it up?" Rebecca smiled and pulled out a slip of paper with her home and cell numbers listed on it. Ranger raised an eyebrow when he saw it.

"Julie told me that I better be prepared." Rebecca giggled and looked at Julie who was smiling inside the car. Ranger smiled again and took her numbers.

"I look forward to talking to you again, Rebecca. I need to get Julie home before her mother becomes concerned." Rebecca smiled and nodded. She waved to Julie and then to Ranger before turning and walking back into the school.

Ranger climbed into the car and smiled at his daughter. She was giddy and bouncing in the passenger seat. "I told you that you would like her! Aren't you glad you listened to me?"

Ranger laughed and pulled away from the school. "Yes, Querida, I'm glad I listened." As he drove Julie home, Ranger thought about the woman. She seemed nice and he could see himself liking her but she wasn't the one that he wanted. The eyes were wrong and the hair was wrong. Hell, even the personality was wrong. Again, his heart and his mind warred inside him. He knew that he was doing the right thing, but why in the hell did it have to hurt so damn much?

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A/N - I promise this is not a Ranger/OC story, so you don't have to stone me for that! Give me a few hours and I'll post the next chapter. It is the one you've ALL been waiting for. Be sure to let me know how much you loved or hated this chapter!


	18. Hope Rises

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

As promised here is the chapter you've ALL been waiting for. This is my second post of the day so make sure if you read 17 if you haven't already. As always...thank you for your continued reviews and fav/follows! They mean the world to me.

Thanks, always, to my beta and my Lou, Potterwench. She's put her story on hold to get these chapters back to me so quickly. I'm afraid I'll never be able to repay her! : D

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**Chapter 18 - Hope Rises **

Junior tugged at the uncomfortable bow-tie attached to his neck. He hated wearing tuxedo's but the job he was on called for one. He was in LA, playing bodyguard to a millionaire's daughter. Her father was a RangeMan client from Trenton, and his little princess wanted to attend a swanky party in LA. Since the old man didn't trust the scandalous men of California to leave his daughter alone, he hired RangeMan to escort the twenty-one year old on her trip.

The guys in Trenton didn't know what her father was thinking. The girl wasn't that attractive and she had a horrible personality. None of them wanted to do the job and they resorted to drawing straws. Junior drew the short one, so here he was, miserably walking around with stuck up snobs who smile to your face and then talk about you the second you walk away.

The party Junior was at was being hosted by up and coming A-Lister's, Gloria and Derek Oliver. He was the owner of a computer programming company that just sold the rights to their first console game. They had struggled for years and then overnight, they were millionaires. Hence the big party because they wanted to prove that they had money to waste. Junior thought it was disgusting but he did his job and followed the young woman through the crowds of people.

Halfway through the night, the daughter, Yolanda, was talking with a couple that she knew from college. Junior did his best to ignore the conversation and focus his attention on the room; watching the men and the exits. He heard a sound that caught his attention but he couldn't figure out why. It was just a woman laughing somewhere in the room. He'd heard similar sounds all night, so why did **this** laugh cause his ears to perk up?

####

In a downtown Miami restaurant, Carlos Manoso and Rebecca James sat chatting. It had taken two weeks for them to get together and tonight was their first date. Ranger and Rebecca spoke on the phone a few times before meeting and they both were looking forward to finally getting to go out and get to know each other better.

Ranger was dressed in a tailor-made suit and a crisp white shirt. The suit was dark grey and looked amazing on his toned body. Rebecca was dressed in a form-fitting dress that showed a lot of cleavage and a whole lot of leg. The shoes on her feet were tall and lifted her ass perfectly. Ranger planned on taking her dancing after dinner and she wanted to look good for the sexy Cuban man.

During the meal, Rebecca decided to ask a little about Ranger's past. She had told him everything important about herself over the phone, but she knew very little about him. "So tell me a little about yourself, Carlos." She took a bite of her salad and smiled at him.

Ranger sighed internally. He had been dreading this question since agreeing to the date. "I don't usually like talking about myself. In my kind of work, information getting out can get me killed." Rebecca understood and nodded. Her husband was the same way. She knew Carlos was former Army, so she didn't push the subject. She tried another topic, but she wasn't sure how much he'd like talking about it.

"Julie told me that you recently lost someone who you loved. Can you tell me about her?" Ranger almost dropped the wine glass out of his hand, but he recovered quickly and grimaced at Rebecca. "If you don't want to, it's okay. It just helps, sometimes, to talk about those we've lost. You know all about my Drew."

Ranger knew she was right, but the pain was still a little raw. He decided to tell her a small amount, just to pacify her. "Her name was Stephanie. She was a bounty hunter, like me, and she asked for my help right after she started." Ranger chuckled and shook his head. "She was a disaster when she first started, but she never failed to catch her man, even if it meant rolling in garbage or blowing up a car." Rebecca blanched which made Ranger chuckle more.

"She was an amazing woman. She had the tenacity of a bulldog and was fiercely loyal to her friends. She could make me smile without even really trying, and back in those days...that was a hard thing to do. She had the most infectious laugh. I can almost still hear it sometimes." Ranger got quiet. Oh how he wanted to hear her laugh again.

####

That laugh, Junior searched his brain. Where had he heard that laugh before? It was so familiar and the memory of why was right on the tip of his brain. He just couldn't pull it out and it was driving him crazy.

His eyes had searched the room, looking for anyone who he might recognize. His attention kept getting drawn to a woman standing with her back to him. She was the one laughing, but he couldn't see her face, so he didn't know why her laugh bothered him so much.

She was thin and had straight long blond hair. He admired her nice toned ass under her long ball gown. He couldn't see her legs, but he guessed they were as toned as her ass. Her hand, which was touching the man standing next to her, was the color of peaches and cream. There was something about her that was familiar but he couldn't place why he thought that.

Yolanda moved positions so he was closer to the woman in question, but he still couldn't get a good look at her face. It was driving him crazy. He had this feeling that whoever that woman was, she was going to totally change his world. He caught a glimpse of the man standing beside her when he turned to grab a glass of champagne for his companion. He too looked familiar, but again, Junior couldn't place where he knew the guy either.

Finally the mystery woman and her male companion started to pull away from the couple they were talking to. Junior watched as the man leaned down to whisper in her ear right before he kissed her on that sweet spot that drove most women crazy. Time stopped when she finally turned around and Junior saw her face for the first time.

####

"She sounds like a really good person. I can tell just by how you talk about her, that you loved her very much." Rebecca took a sip of wine and looked at her dinner companion. He had a faraway look in his eyes and she knew he was remembering the woman who still held his heart.

"She was the best person I ever met and yes, I loved her with everything I had in me." Ranger finished his meal and sipped on his wine while his date finished.

"What was your favorite part about her? It was always Drew's smile for me. He had dimples when he smiled and he knew how to use them. He could get me to do ANYTHING for him, just by smiling." Rebecca shook her head and sat back as the waiter took her plate away from her. Ranger topped off her wine as he thought about the answer to her question.

"It's hard to pinpoint one thing about Stephanie that I liked above the rest. Her hair was a mass of wild curls. She hated them, but they gave her personality and I used to love twirling those curls around my fingers. And her smile, like Drew's, could make me do just about anything. And it wasn't her full smile either. She had a half-smile, half-smirk that she used on me when I was being stubborn. But the thing I miss the most about her...the thing that made her stand out to me the first time I saw her...was her eyes." Ranger swallowed and took a sip of wine to calm his nerves.

When he had gotten himself calmed down, he continued talking. "They were crystal blue and I swear...she could see all the way through to your soul with them. It didn't matter how bad you looked on the outside, Stephanie could see the real person inside and that's who she saw you as." A flash of blue eyes passed in Ranger's mind and he smiled. "Those eyes haunt my dreams still. I see them everywhere. When I first saw you, I prayed that you didn't have blue eyes. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to look at another blue-eyed woman again."

Rebecca reached out and put her hand on Ranger's. She gave it a little squeeze and looked at him with compassion filled eyes. "I don't blame you for that, Carlos. I'll never be able to look at another man with dimples and that's okay. We survive the best way we can. Stephanie sounds like a stunning woman. I'm jealous about the blue eyes. I always wished that I had them. That is until tonight." Ranger caught onto what she was saying and smiled. He turned his hand over and took her smaller hand into his. His thumb absent-mindedly stroked the top of her hand as he thought about those hypnotic blue eyes.

####

Realization hit Junior like a Mack truck the second the woman turned around. Her eyes locked onto his and he knew. He knew those eyes. Those eyes were supposed to be dead. Those eyes weren't supposed to be twinkling at him. Those eyes belonged to a dead woman. Those eyes belonged to Stephanie.

When the woman saw him, her eyes widened slightly, but then refocused on Yolanda who was anxiously waiting to talk to her and her male companion. Junior was paralyzed. He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything but stare into those blue eyes. He was close enough to hear the introduction Yolanda.

"Yolanda Crandall, let me introduce you to Luciano and Malena Sanchez. Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez own their own interior decorating company here in LA. They actually decorated this very house for the hosts." The man with Yolanda turned to the couple and spoke again. "Yolanda's father owns jewelry stores all up and down the East coast. He's thinking of spreading his wings out West so he sent his lovely daughter to scout and to mingle with some of the upper class here."

Junior tuned out the rest of the conversation. Luciano Sanchez, he should know that name, but where from? And why was this idiot calling Stephanie, Malena? Junior tried to catch Malena's (?) gaze, but she kept avoiding him. Her attention was focused on Yolanda or her husband the entire time they stood there talking. Junior decided to be daring, step up and try to catch her eye again.

When there was a lull in the conversation, he made his move. "Mrs. Sanchez? I'm Alando Rivera." He offered his hand and she looked at it like it was tainted for several second before finally putting her hand in his.

"Malena Sanchez. This is my _husband_, Luciano." The inflection on the word husband gave Junior pause. Did she think he was hitting on her? He looked into her eyes again and saw no recognition. She turned back to Yolanda with a questioning gaze.

Yolanda rolled her eyes like a typical Jersey girl. "Sorry, that's my bodyguard. My father is over protective. He.." Yolanda nodded toward Junior. "...has to follow me around and be generally annoying." She turned and looked at Junior. "At least he's yummy to look at." Stephanie glanced at Junior and giggled.

"I know what you mean. My husband insists that guards follow me everywhere. It's rather annoying. I feel for you honey." Yolanda and Malena started talking about decorating and ignored Junior completely. He watched Stephanie like a hawk though, looking for any hint that she knew him.

Her face looked like Stephanie's and those eyes...but that was all he had. Nothing else that was telling him that it was her definitively. Junior focused on the man with her and then it hit him. He knew why he knew that name and then everything came crashing down in his mind.

####

"Are you ready for some dancing?" Ranger helped Rebecca slip into her wrap and placed his hand at the small of her back to guide her through the restaurant. It had been a great date so far and he was looking forward to taking her to the club for it to continue.

When his car pulled up, he helped her into the passenger seat of the Mercedes. He originally planned to drive the Turbo, but he couldn't picture another woman sitting in Stephanie's seat. Some things he just wasn't ready to part with yet.

The drive to the club was quiet. Rebecca respected his driving zone. Ranger guessed her husband drove the same way so she was used to it. Ranger actually missed Stephanie's constant chatter as he drove. He pulled up to the club and climbed out of the car. The valet let Rebecca out and he escorted her into the busy club.

Their VIP table was reserved in the back of the club and Ranger ordered a bottle of Cristal and he settled down next to his date. She snuggled close to his side as his arm found its way around her shoulders. They had to sit close to talk.

"Are you having a good time?" Ranger leaned in and whispered into Rebecca's ear. She nodded excitedly.

"I am. Thank you for tonight. This is the first time I've been out with a guy since Drew died. I can't wait to get on the dance floor." Ranger smiled and stood up. He offered her his hand, which she accepted. The song playing was fast and they moved to the music smoothly. She didn't fit into him as well as Stephanie did. She was a little too tall and a little too skinny. She didn't belong in his arms.

When the song ended a slower song came on and they both made the move to go back to the table. Ranger was thankful that she was just as hesitant as he was. They took their seats at their table and started drinking the champagne. Rebecca tried to make small chit-chat but Ranger's heart just wasn't in it. Nothing felt right and he wanted to go home. Rebecca picked up on it too.

She leaned in and whispered into his ear. "It's okay to be hesitant, Carlos. I am too. We're both still grieving. We can take things slow and start out as friends. I'm attracted to you and I think you're attracted to me. We don't have to go 0-60 in a matter of minutes. We can just take a Sunday drive." She leaned back and smiled at him. He appreciated her feelings because he felt the same way.

"Thank you. I feel the same way. I would like to take things slow too." She smiled at him and placed a kiss on his cheek. They kept talking while the couples around them danced. They never danced together again that night. but they each enjoyed spending time together. Being friends was a good thing. Being friends was what each of them needed right now.

####

Junior kept his eyes on Luciano and Malena the rest of the night. His heart was pounding and he swore that the people around him could hear it. He couldn't call anyone, because that would be breaking protocol and he didn't want to piss off such a high paying contract. Yolanda's father was paying them good money for Junior to watch her and he refused to do a piss-poor job, but he didn't want to take his eyes off Stephanie either.

He knew for a fact that it was her. Luciano Sanchez was the son of the drug lord that the team he was on with Ranger took out in Columbia. It was the last mission he had been on. It was the mission right before Stephanie died. Stephanie, was now acting as this guy's wife. Junior remembered that Luciano's wife died in the attack. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and he didn't understand why she was playing along with him. She was acting like she belonged with him and that she was happy. She was laughing and joking and she was kissing him. FUCK! How was he going to tell Ranger about this shit?

At the end of the night, Junior began to panic. He saw Stephanie and her "husband" getting their coats on to leave, but he didn't want to let her out of his sight. He wanted to grab her and take off running. He wanted to shake her and ask her what in the hell was going on and who in the hell did they bury thinking it was her?

Yolanda was chatting with someone and he kept his eye on Stephanie. He watched her whisper into Luciano's ear and then point toward him. Her husband eyed her and whispered something back. She tensed, obviously nervous, but nodded and then walked toward where Junior stood.

She smiled brightly at him as she approached. "Yolanda said that you work with a security company, is that right?" Junior nodded. "Do you have an office on this coast? My husband and I are looking for a good one for our home and business."

"No Ste..." His words stopped when he saw the absolute panic in her blue eyes. He didn't know what that was all about, but it had to do with saying her name so he decided to play along with her game. "No ma'am. We don't have any West coast branches." Her face fell slightly and she sighed.

"That's too bad. I really need some help, but I guess you can't help me. Thanks anyway, Junior." Stephanie looked at him with pleading in her eyes. He realized after she walked away that she called him by his nickname. He introduced himself to her with his given name. She was telling him that she did know him and she was telling him that she needed help.

Junior watched as Luciano wrapped her in his arms and placed a very public kiss on her lips. Right before she walked around the corner of the door, she turned and met his eyes. Junior knew he had to act on her words when she mouthed to him, "Help me, please."

####

Ranger parked his Mercedes in Rebecca's driveway. He walked around the car and opened the door to help her out. She fumbled with her purse looking for her keys as they walked up to her front door. They both stopped under the porch light and smiled at each other.

"I had a really good time tonight, Carlos. I hope we can do it again sometime." Ranger took her hands in his and held them tight.

"I had a good time too. We'll definitely do it again soon. Thank you for understanding about, earlier." Rebecca smiled and put her hand against his cheek.

"I've had more time than you have to mourn, so trust me when I say that I understand. I'm fine with taking things slow and seeing where this goes." Ranger took her hand off his face and placed a kiss on her open palm.

He could tell that she wanted a kiss, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. She looked disappointed, but he knew she understood. "I'll call you next week. Is that okay?" Ranger asked in a whispered voice.

"That sounds perfect. Thank you again for tonight." Rebecca unlocked her door and walked inside her small house.

"You're welcome. Goodnight Rebecca." Ranger kissed her knuckles before releasing her hand.

"Goodnight Carlos." She quietly closed the door and Ranger walked silently to his car. He started driving to his house, but he found himself pulling into a public beach parking lot. He needed to feel close to Stephanie and the beach was the place to do that. It was her favorite place to go and he wanted to feel her again.

Ranger sat on the beach thinking about his lost love. He saw her eyes, he heard her laugh and he thought he smelled her. That was the smell that he was trying to remember the last time he got that weird call. He could almost feel her and could almost hear her calling for him.

Just like that night before he climbed aboard the plane to take him to Columbia, he heard her whispered words. His heart heard her say, "I still love you Carlos." Without hesitation, his heart screamed his response. "I love you too, Babe."

####

Stephanie was drug out of the party by Luciano. In public, he was tender and loving just like a husband should be; but in private he was everything but those things. When they were alone in the back of the limo, he turned in his seat and slapped her, hard, across the face. "What did you say to him, you stupid bitch. I warned you not to fuck with me. I warned you what would happen. You will tell me what you said and you will tell me NOW!"

Stephanie whimpered and held her stinging cheek in her palm. "I didn't tell him anything. I asked if his company had a branch on this coast. We're looking for a good company and I thought he was very professional tonight. I swear I didn't say anything to him. I promise you. I wouldn't do that to you." Stephanie sat up straighter and looked the man in the eye. She refused to back down to him.

"You better be telling me the truth. You better never lie to me. IF I find out that you've said something to that pendejo, I will kill him." Stephanie began to panic at his words.

"Please Luc, don't say that. I promise I didn't say anything. What can I do so you believe me?" Luciano glared at her and slapped her again.

"Be a good girl and do as I say. You know what's at stake here and I would hate for anything to happen to him." Stephanie whimpered and sat back in the leather seat. She turned her head to look out the window.

Stephanie had all but given up hope for being rescued. It had been almost a year since she'd been taken and with every passing day, it got harder and harder to think that someone was coming for her. Tonight, that hope was rekindled because of Junior. She knew that Junior would tell Ranger and he would get her out.

Her heart ached thinking about Ranger. Luciano had shown her a video of her funeral so she knew everyone thought she was dead. She wondered if Ranger even still thought about her. Did he move on? Was he with someone else now? It hurt her to think about it but still her heart cried out to his. Even if he was with someone else, she still loved him and she needed him to know. "I still love you, Carlos." She listened and just like that night so many months ago, she heard his response. "I love you too, Babe."

####

Junior escorted Yolanda back to her hotel room and after dodging her poor attempts to lure him into her bed; he retreated to his room and closed the door. The second the door was locked, he had his phone out calling Tank. He knew it was early in the morning in Trenton, but this couldn't wait.

Tank's obviously agitated voice filled Junior's ear. "Someone better be fucking dead or you're sure as hell going to be."

"Tank, get on a plane and get to LA ASAP., someone who is supposed to be dead isn't and you're going to want to see her for yourself!" Tank could hear the excitement in his co-workers voice.

Tank immediately sat up and turned on the light beside his bed. "Talk, now!"

"Tonight at the party I met the dead wife of Luciano Sanchez. I know she's dead because his wife, Malena, died on our last mission. Les watched her die in her husband's arms. But I met her tonight except it wasn't her. Tank...it was Stephanie."

* * *

A/N - I'm ready to hear your thoughts now! Was this what you've been waiting for? So many of you were spot on with your predictions but I'm sure you've got some more questions now. Let me have them!

In regards to Ranger moving on with Rebecca...I HATED writing this part of the story, but I felt it was necessary. He'd gotten a taste of how good life with someone could be with Stephanie and he wanted to see if he could replicate that. In his heart, he knew he'd never replace Stephanie but he wanted to try moving on with someone. Rebecca was Julie's pick so he gave it a shot. Now...what's going to happen when he find out Stephanie is alive? Any guesses?


	19. Answers in LA

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews and fav/follows! The last almost week has been crazy with updates and I haven't had the chance to thank you each individually, but I do appreciate each and every review! Keep them coming.

Here is the next chapter in this journey. Since I exhausted my beta with the daily updates and since the majority of the angst is over, my plan is to return to my bi-weekly posting schedule.

A huge thank you to my Lou and beta, Potterwench. Couldn't do this without ya!

* * *

**Chapter 19 - Answers in LA**

On the corporate jet, flying somewhere over the Mid-West, Tank sat anxiously looking over the mission files from Columbia. After his conversation with Junior the night before, Tank ordered the pilot to get the plane ready to fly ASAP. Doubt filled Tank, but he still owed it to Ranger and Stephanie to check out the lead. Tank would never forgive himself if he ignored it and it turned out to be her. Ranger would never forgive him either.

Junior filled Tank in on the details that he could remember and Tank had the file spread out before him on the flight. He pulled out a picture of Malena Sanchez and let out a long sigh. The picture was poor quality but Tank could see that the woman bore no resemblance to Stephanie. Her hair was blonde and the figure was completely wrong. There was no way anyone could mistake the woman in the picture for Stephanie Plum. Tank was beginning to think that maybe Junior was losing it and needed a psych evaluation.

As Tank read through the information gathered about Luciano Sanchez both before and after the mission, he realized something. On paper, Luciano seemed like a straight-laced guy. He wanted no part in his father's drug business and Luciano did his best to keep away from everything his father did. It all looked too clean and staged to Tank. He was missing too much information and wanted to know more about what Luciano was doing now. So, Tank sent a text to Rodriguez to quietly do a search on Luciano and Malena. Most of the information Tank had in front of him was over a year old and he needed to know more.

The last page of the file contained the piece of information Tank needed to give him hope. It was a newspaper article dated just a few months before which showed Luciano Sanchez standing next to an obviously pregnant blonde woman. The article boasted about the couple's success with their new interior design company in California. Tank couldn't really make out the woman's face, but he had to admit that it could be Stephanie. Hope sparked in Tank's heart for the first time. He didn't want to get too excited just in case it wasn't her. But he had to admit one thing….weird things always happened around Stephanie Plum. More questions filled Tank's mind thinking about what everything could possibly mean. If it was Stephanie, then why was she living in California married to another man? Why hadn't she reached out for help? He wanted to call the guys to give them a heads up, but didn't want to create hope where there might be none.

When Tank left Trenton, all he told Bobby and Les was that he was going out of town, but didn't tell them WHERE he was going. All he told them was that it was personal and he was not to be called unless it was an emergency. Tank turned off all of his trackers before leaving the garage and made the pilot file the flight plan as confidential. The guys could eventually find out where he went, but it would take them some time and hopefully by then Tank would already have answers by the time they found out he was in LA. Tank wasn't ready to sound the RangeMan alarm, so to speak, just yet.

The plane landed early in the morning LA time and Tank quickly disembarked and hopped into the rental car waiting for him. He drove straight to Junior's hotel without even thinking about it. Tank needed information, and Junior was the one who had it.

Junior was sound asleep when a pounding on his door woke him up. He sighed and rolled out of bed and walked tiredly to the door. He knew exactly who it was before he even opened the door and damn that man could pound. Junior thought Tank could wake the dead if he put his mind to it.

Tank wasted no time jumping into business when the door opened. "Report! I want to know everything you know!" Junior yawned and started the coffee pot. He was going to need some caffeine for this discussion. As the coffee brewed, Junior filled Tank in on what happened during the mission again and then went on to tell him what happened the night before.

"Tank, I'm telling you. That woman is Stephanie. I knew it before she spoke to me, but I'm one hundred percent convinced that it was her because she mouthed at me to help her!" Tank looked at him and scrubbed his chin with his hand.

Wanting to play out every possibility in his mind before letting himself believe what Junior was saying, Tank continued. "Maybe she's in trouble and since she knew you are in security she asked for help. You told me yourself that she didn't really look like Stephanie. I mean, there are a lot of women who have blue eyes like that."

Junior shook his head in dissension. "No way in hell, Tank! Those blue eyes were Stephanie's eyes. I know they were and it was her laugh! I introduced myself to her as Alando, but she called me Junior. Stephanie has NEVER heard my real name!" Tank's eyes widened slightly. Junior knew Tank was working out everything in his mind, so he stood back and waited for the next probing question.

"Maybe she heard someone else at the party call you that. There are explanations for all of this and I don't want to get my hopes up. If it was really Stephanie, then why was she playing wife to a drug lord's son? Why didn't she run to you for protection the second she saw you? And if it was Stephanie, why hasn't she reached out to contact us? There are too many unknown things going on here and I don't like it."

Junior stood up and poured two mugs of coffee. He handed one to Tank and sat back on the bed. "Did you inform Ranger?" Tank snapped his head up and glared at the younger man.

"No and you will keep your mouth shut, too. Ranger is just starting to move on. He went out on a date last night with one of Julie's teachers. He's healing and I refuse to destroy that man again for no reason. IF something turns up here, then I will notify him. Until then, you will say nothing. Got it?" Tank's voice was hard and Junior knew not to fuck with him.

"Got it, Boss, not a problem." Tank's phone rang, so Junior headed to the bathroom to shower so that Tank could talk in peace.

Tank looked at the ID and grimaced. "Yo, Ranger, what's up?" Ranger paused on the other end of the line, because that was not Tank's normal greeting.

"Report! I called Trenton and they said you were gone on personal business. What's going on?" Shit, fuck, crap, damn. Tank was never able to lie to Ranger.

"Just needed to get away for a few days, no big deal. Santos and Brown are running Trenton and we've had no problems. I'll be back there day after tomorrow most likely." Tank heard Ranger sigh and knew something was going on with him. Maybe he would accept Tank's reasons for being gone because he was distracted.

"Okay. I was just checking in. Let me know if you need anything." Tank could hear the sadness in his friend's voice.

"Carlos, are you okay?" Silence filled the space between them. Finally Ranger spoke.

"I went on a date last night." Tank smiled. He had gotten the report from Julie, so he knew all about Rebecca James.

"How did that go?" Another sigh from Ranger made Tank smile again.

"It went good. We have a lot in common and she's really nice. It's just..." Tank knew exactly what Ranger was thinking. "She's not Stephanie."

Tank was torn. Did he encourage Ranger to move on, knowing that Stephanie might be alive or did he give this man hope where there might not be any? Tank remembered how Ranger looked the last day he was in Trenton and knew then what he needed to do. "There will never be anyone like Stephanie again, but that's okay. Different is good and it's good you're moving on. Stephanie wouldn't want you to be miserable, Carlos. She would want you to live your life. Rebecca sounds good for you."

Ranger smiled into his phone. "I never told you her name so Julie, must have filled you in." Tank laughed and shook his head. How could he fuck that up?

"Yeah, she did." They were silent again for a few seconds before Tank continued talking. "Be happy, Carlos. That's what Steph would want for you."

"Thanks, Man, I know that, but it's hard. I'll let you get back to whatever you're doing. Let me know if you need backup where ever you are."

"You'll be the first to know, Brother." Tank heard the phone disconnect and he hung his head. He prayed that he had done the right thing.

A few hours later, Tank's phone beeped with an incoming email. He used Junior's laptop to pull up the information from Rodriguez. He cursed when he saw what was in the file. Junior heard the curse and walked over to read it too.

Junior let out a long whistle when he read the information on the screen. "Looks like Luciano picked up right where Daddy left off. He did his best to stay out of it when his father was alive, but stepped right in when we took the old man out. His frequent trips to Columbia over the last year are a red flag and it looks like he always traveled alone. Malena never goes with him. That's weird. What information do we have on her?"

Tank scrolled down to the next page and they kept reading. "There's nothing useful on her. Her Dad owns drug shops all over Amsterdam and is probably importing them into the US, but from the looks of it, she has no contact with him. When Luciano and Malena returned to the US they set up shop in LA and started their own interior decorating company. They're a huge hit with the Hollywood stars and are making their own fortune." Junior shook his head in disbelief looking at the pictures of Luciano and Malena Sanchez on the computer screen.

"The woman with Luciano is not Malena. She died in Columbia. Les watched her die in her husband's arms. Stephanie is posing as his wife, now the only question is...why?"

Tank closed the reports and looked up the couple's address. He needed to see things for himself and to lay eyes on the woman who Junior thought was Stephanie. "What time to do you fly back to Trenton with Yolanda?" Junior grimaced when he looked at his watch.

"I need to pick her up in about an hour." Tank could see that Junior didn't want to leave LA, but he had no choice. He had a job to complete.

"Finish your assignment. When you get back to the office start looking into the son more, if this turns out to be Stephanie, we're going to need to know EVERYTHING we can about this fucker. If he's had her this entire time, he's going to learn really fast that he fucked with the wrong damn hornet's nest!" Junior nodded and went to pack up his few belongings.

Tank grabbed his bag, the surveillance equipment he had brought with him and headed toward the door. He turned and pinned Junior with a hard look before leaving. Tank wanted to make sure the younger man understood his words. "Remember...NO ONE is to know ANYTHING about this. Got it?"

Junior saw the look in Tank's eyes and knew he meant business. He simply nodded and watched as the big man walked out the door. Junior knew he was right and knew that he'd found their light; he'd found the one woman who made their days brighter. Junior felt extremely happy for the first time in almost a year.

A few hours later, Tank found the perfect spot to spy into the Sanchez's compound. After finding the address, he did several drive bys just scoping out the place. He wasn't expecting there to be so many guards around. The men were covering the perimeter and Tank could barely see through the front gate, so he had to sneak around to find a place that was high and provided enough cover for his large frame. When he did, he pulled out the high powered binoculars and the listening device and settled into his spying position. Tank could see and hear almost everything happening in the backyard and even in some of the upstairs rooms. The problem was that there was nothing going on.

Tank watched the back of the house for over three hours before he finally saw some activity. Finally, a young slender blonde woman walked out onto the back patio. He thought she looked like Malena Sanchez from the photos that he'd seen of her. This woman didn't remind him in any way shape or form of Stephanie Plum though. Her head was down as she walked and she had none of Stephanie's spunk. Tank used to love watching Stephanie walk anywhere because she carried herself in a unique way. This woman didn't walk like that at all. She walked like she'd been beaten down.

The woman nervously looked around and waited as a gorilla sized man stepped out the back door with her. He noticed that she was carrying something in her arms, but couldn't make out exactly what it was. The woman never lifted her face so he could get a good look at her, but his heart was saying that it she wasn't Stephanie. It simply couldn't be.

The guard directed the woman down the back steps and into the grass. He was rough in his handling of her. Tank wanted to kill him just for that reason, but he didn't move from his spot on the hill. He watched as the guard roughly grabbed the woman's arm and almost threw her onto a wooden bench under a giant oak tree. Tank turned the listening device on so he could hear the conversation between the two. The gruff voice of the gorilla filled Tank's headphones.

"You know the drill, Bitch. You try anything and you know what will happen. Just because the boss is gone, doesn't mean we aren't watching you." The guard stood back up and strode back toward the house without a second glance at the woman on the bench. Tank's attention stayed with her. The view was obscured by the tree but the listening device was turned on and he could hear the muffled crying sounds. The woman wasn't talking, so Tank still had no clue as to who she was.

When the sobbing finally stopped, Tank thought he heard her say something, but instead, the woman started humming and rocking slightly on the bench. Tank saw the movement, but couldn't see exactly what she was doing. Finally, after several minutes, he heard her speak. "I love..." The woman stopped talking suddenly and Tank heard her sharp intake of breath. Movement in front of her drew Tank's attention away from the woman and on to the man walking in her direction.

Tank knew from the pictures that it was Luciano Sanchez and from the look on his face he was pissed. For some reason, Tank decided to record the interaction between the suspected husband and wife. He didn't understand the reason right then, but he had learned years ago to always listen to his instincts. After pressing a few buttons, he was sure the conversation was being documented.

"What did I tell you? You're not to leave the house without my permission!" Luciano's voice was angry and his words were laced with venom.

"Please don't..." The woman broke into a sob and whispered her plea, but Luciano didn't listen nor did he let her finish her sentence.

"Don't please me, you stupid Bitch. You broke the rules, now you must be punished." Tank watched as Luciano grabbed whatever the woman was holding out of her arms. She became hysterical and started crying again. Tank watched in horror as Luciano reached out and slapped her across the face and then started walking back toward the house. The woman was right on his heals crying and reaching for him.

The man turned around again as the woman ran into his chest and fell back with an 'oomph'. Tank could see the anger on Luciano's face and could hear the hatred in his voice. "You will not follow me you stupid Bitch. You will sit out here as I take MY son inside. You've lost your privileges today and so help me God, pull this shit again and you'll lose more than just the right to see him. You'll lose him totally. Don't push me!" Luciano turned around again and the woman stayed sitting in the grass, crying.

Tank stopped breathing when he finally heard the woman speak clearly. She screamed at the back of her retreating 'husband'. "Please don't take him away from me! Please don't hurt my son!" Luciana didn't listen to her and disappeared into the house with the baby. Tank's heart was beating at about one hundred beats per minute. He thought it might just burst out of his chest. That voice was the sweetest thing he'd heard in a hell of a long time. Even though it was full of sadness and fear, it was still Stephanie.

"I'm so sorry Carlos. I can't protect him. I can't protect our son." Tank listened to Stephanie crying and his heart filled with sadness when he heard her plea. "Please find us Carlos. Please, I need you to come get us. I don't know how much longer I can hold on."

Tank's heart broke upon hearing the pain in Stephanie's words. She was alive AND had a son. She was also, from the looks of it, being held by a very controlling and possessive man. Tank knew then what he needed to do. He didn't want to leave Stephanie there by herself, but he had to go back to the hotel in order to send some files to the guys. He was going to send out the red-alert and Tank knew there was about to be an invasion of RangeMen coming to LA. Once he made that call, there wasn't anything anyone could do to stop them from coming. She was their light and they needed her back. Most importantly, their boss needed her back.

One last thought crossed his mind before packing up his equipment and headed back to the hotel. Just a few hours before, Tank had convinced Ranger to try to move on with his life with another woman. Ranger had probably called Rebecca for a second date and Tank was sitting there looking at the love of Ranger's life. The only thought running through Tank's mind right then…"Fuck my life."

####

Back in his hotel room, Tank transferred the recording to the laptop and with one click of the button, he sent it to Les and Bobby, told them to listen to it privately and then call him. Ten minutes later, his phone rang.

"Yo!" Tank answered.

Les was sitting in his Haywood office with Bobby wondering how that son of a bitch, Tank, could be so damn calm! He was the first to speak. "Where the fuck are you and is this recording real? And DO NOT fuck with me, Tank. If this is a joke, then it's fucking cruel and you're going to get your ass kicked when you get back here!"

"Are you done, Santos?" Tank waited for Les' grunt of a response before he continued. "It's real and it's her." Tank couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. "I don't know how, but Stephanie's alive! However, she's not living the good life. She's in LA living as Luciano Sanchez's wife, Malena." Both men sitting in the Haywood office were stunned silent. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Les had watched Malena Sanchez die. Tank's commanding voice snapped them both to attention.

"I need a team in LA, ASAP. I've sent the jet back and it should be there in the next few hours. You two are to take that recording down to Miami, Ranger needs to hear it." Tank heard both men high five each other, but ignored them. "Before you go, get Hector, Junior, Rodriguez, Cal, and Hal on planes to LA. Call in men from Boston if you have to, but I want this all kept under the radar. Send some of the guys to different airports and have them fly out at different times. I don't want anyone to see us coming. Tell everyone to meet at the hotel listed in the email and tell them to keep quiet about everything. When everyone is here, we'll come up with a plan to get our girl out of this and home where she belongs!"

Bobby ran a hand through his hair and looked at Les sitting in front of him. "It's not just our girl, Tank. She's got a son. Ranger's son...we can't just go charging in there. This is going to be a delicate operation." Bobby's voice was full of worry. He knew anything could go wrong and Stephanie or the baby could be seriously hurt or killed. The worst case scenarios running through his mind scared him shitless. "Maybe we should wait to tell Ranger. If he finds her only to lose her again, we'll never get him back, Tank. It would destroy him, permanently."

Tank had thought the same thing because those same things worried him too. "I've already thought the same thing, but Ranger is the best at stuff like this. If he's here leading the operation then there's a higher chance of everything going right. You know that I'm right. I've weighed the options and he HAS to know."

Bobby didn't like it, but he knew Tank was right. Ranger was the best and with him in the driver's seat, the chance for a positive outcome would increase dramatically. Neither Bobby nor Les knew HOW they were going to tell Ranger the news, but both men were full of giddiness that they were sure would be visible to anyone around.

Sensing the joyful mood of his partner, Bobby smiled at Les and continued talking to Tank. "Okay. We'll head down to Miami as soon as the jet gets here. We'll put Rodriguez in charge of getting everyone else you mentioned out there." Bobby decided that Dante would be the best one to organize the travel for the other guys. He also knew that all of them would need to be briefed, but he just didn't know when.

Tank answered that question for him. "Don't tell anyone why they're coming out here. Junior knows, but he knows to keep his mouth shut. I know he just got back to Trenton, but he won't want to be left out of this. He found her and he deserves to see this through until the end." Tank let out a long sigh and hearing it shocked Bobby and Les. "When everyone gets here, we'll drop the bomb and then form a plan. Sound good?"

"Damn straight!" Bobby and Les echoed together. They heard the phone disconnect and then both collapsed back into their chairs. Les smiled a full smile at Bobby. "Beautiful's alive! Our girl will be coming home, Man!"

Bobby smiled back and shook his head. "She's alive and hell yeah we're going to get her back! We're not going to fucking rest until she is back where she belongs in Ranger's arms." Bobby smirked at Les. "Do you realize that we're about to rock Ranger's world?"

A boisterous laugh filled the small office as Les threw his head back and let loose. "Shit...Ranger is going to fucking flip his shit when he finds out! I'm kind of glad it's us going to Miami. I want to be the one to tell him that his Babe is alive! I'm not looking forward to him finding out about the baby because he's going to be pissed as hell that we didn't tell him before, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Bobby grimaced and nodded his head in agreement. "I know Man, but I think he'll be too focused on the information we have on Bomber to worry about us not telling him about the baby." Bobby glanced at his watch and stood up. "Let's get the men briefed and head out to the airstrip. The sooner we get this show on the road, the sooner we get our girl back!" Les smiled and stood up from his chair.

Les called the five guys into the conference room for a quick meeting and when everyone was present and accounted for, Bobby cleared his throat getting their attention."There is a big operation forming in LA. Tank is on the ground and has asked for each of you as back up." Junior's smile was huge and everyone looked speculatively at him. Bobby shook his head before continuing. Junior understood and kept quiet, but he couldn't remove the smile from his face. "Rodriguez, we need you to arrange air travel for everyone in this room besides Santos and I. We'll be taking the private jet to Miami before heading to LA. Tank requested to use staggered departure and arrival times and to fly guys out of and into different airports. We don't want to set off alarms so let's be smart about this. I'll give you all the information on the hotel where we're all supposed to meet. Any questions?"

Everyone in the room shook their heads and put their game faces on. They might not have known what was going on, but they knew it was serious from the looks on their co-workers' faces. Bobby and Les left the guys in the conference room to work out their travel plans and approached Zero who was sitting on monitors.

"Something big is going down in LA. We're pulling out five men plus us. You're in charge of Trenton while we're gone. Call Boston and get some guys and call in the contract workers. I don't know when we'll be back, but we'll keep you posted." Zero looked sick, but nodded. He had never run the branch before, but he knew he wouldn't let the guys down. Something big was going on and he knew he needed to step-up and help where he could.

Two hours later, Bobby and Les were flying on the private jet down to Miami; each lost in their personal thoughts. Both men were aware of Ranger's date and they were happy that he was attempting to move on. They both also knew Ranger was just about to get the surprise of his life. It's not every day that your true love comes back from the dead.

####

Ranger sat in his office early in the evening waiting for Rebecca to get there. After his call with Tank, he did some thinking about his life. Ranger decided to listen to his best friend because he knew what Tank said was right. Stephanie would want him to move on and be happy. He didn't know if that happiness would be with Rebecca, but he was willing to find out.

So, once he was done talking to Tank, Ranger called Rebecca and made plans with her for an early dinner that night. Ranger expected her any minute, so he closed the files he was working on and turned off his computer. As soon as it turned off, there was a soft knock at his door. He opened it to see Rebecca smiling on the other side.

"Hi, come in and let me grab my stuff real fast and then we can go." Ranger left the door open and Rebecca walked in behind him. He went to his desk and grabbed his keys and a file he needed to give to one of the Miami guys. Ranger turned around and smiled at Rebecca. He was about to ask her something when two familiar faces filled his office doorway. Ranger hadn't seen Bobby or Lester since he left Trenton and couldn't think of a single reason for them to be in Miami.

"What the hell are you two doing here and who's running Trenton?" He crossed his arms across his broad chest and glared at the two men currently standing in his office. Rebecca was standing close to him and looked a little scared of his two friends.

"Ranger, we need to talk." Les glanced at Rebecca with a puzzled look and then continued. "In private, please."

Ranger was pissed. He had plans and he really didn't want to talk to these two jokers. "Not now. I've got plans. Make an appointment if you want to talk to me." He looked at Rebecca. "You ready to go?" She smiled sweetly and nodded to him.

Bobby put his hand on Ranger's arm and pleaded with him. "Ranger, please. This is important. You're going to want to hear this." Ranger glared at Bobby's hand and then turned his hard gaze to him. He wasn't ready to listen, so he pushed Bobby's hand off and led Rebecca to the door.

Les was pissed because they were getting blown off, so he said the one thing that he knew would get Ranger's attention. "Carlos! It's Stephanie. She's alive and we found her."

Ranger froze half-way out the door. He dropped his hand from Rebecca's back and turned around slowly. He looked at the two men standing in the office with him. When Ranger spoke, his voice was deadly and hard. "What. Did. You. Say?"

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A/N - I realize after reading this right before posting that this was a terrible spot to leave you until Monday, so I'm sorry for any frustrations! A few of you guessed the 'HIM' Luciano was taking about in the last chapter was Stephanie's son...now we have proof. Let me know what your thoughts are now! I'm anxious to read what you think!


	20. Dreams do Come True

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

SURPRISE! Since so many of you begged and pleaded for this chapter before Monday, I decided to give you a treat before the weekend. I LOVE that you all are so involved in this story. It truly makes me happy to read your reviews!

My beta, Potterwench, deserves a giant round of applause! She's world her hind-end off getting me these chapters back. She also appreciated the thanks from those of you who mentioned her. This story wouldn't be near as good without her.

* * *

**Chapter 20 - Dreams Do Come True**

The office was deadly quiet and all that was heard was each man's ragged breath. Ranger's voice was soft and still full of deadly intent. "I said, what did you say?" He stepped closer to the two men.

"I said that we found Stephanie. She's alive, Carlos." Les spoke and watched for Ranger's reaction. He knew it was going to be explosive.

Les cringed when he saw the look on Ranger's face. He knew that look well, and knew that he wasn't going to like what happened next. Ranger snapped and rushed toward Les, pushing Les back into the wall. He pinned him against the back wall with his forearm against Les' throat.

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" Ranger's voice boomed off the office walls. Rebecca was forgotten at the door, and Bobby was trying to make Ranger relax before Les passed out from lack of oxygen.

"Ranger, it's true. We have something you have to hear, but you need to let Les go first." Ranger relaxed slightly and looked at Bobby.

"Play it." Ranger didn't step away from Les, but he loosened his hold across his throat. Bobby removed a small tape-recorder from his pocket and hit play. The office was silent for a few seconds before the voices filled the space around them.

_"What did I tell you? You're not to leave the house without my permission!"_ Ranger sucked in a breath hearing the anger laced in the man's words. _"Please don't..."_

Ranger's ears perked up instantly. Even though the words were whispered, he knew that voice. It was the same one that had haunted his dreams for the past year. It was the same voice he longed to hear. Without breathing, Ranger listened to more of the conversation.

_"Don't please me, you stupid Bitch! You broke the rules, now you must be punished."_ They all heard the slap and then one, maybe all three, growled. Ranger vowed to make that son of a bitch pay. No one hurt his Babe.

_"You will not follow me you stupid Bitch. You will sit out here as I take MY son inside. You've lost your privileges today and so help me God, pull this shit again and you'll lose more than just the right to see him. You'll lose him totally. Don't push me."_ Les watched closely to see Ranger's reaction to what was being said. His eyes widened when Luciano said son. He and Bobby would need to explain some things to him after the recording was over.

_"Please don't take him away from me! Please don't hurt my son!"_ They heard sobbing and then Stephanie's voice broke through again. _"I'm sorry, Carlos. I'm so sorry. I can't protect him. I can't protect our son."_ Ranger released Les and the two men thought they heard him whimper. _"Please find us Carlos. Please, I need you to come get us. I don't know how much longer I can hold on!"_ The tape ended and Ranger sagged to the floor, finally letting out a breath. That was Stephanie! She was alive! And she had a son?

Ranger stood up and looked at the two men standing in front of him. "Talk!"

Rubbing his sore throat with his hand, Les started explaining. "She's in LA acting like Malena, the wife of Luciano Sanchez. He was the son of the drug lord we brought in last year. That was our last mission before..." Les stopped talking. He didn't need to remind Ranger what happened after that mission, so he just kept on reporting. "Tank's on the ground in LA and we've got a team in route. Tank will have more information for us when we get there."

"Get. Me. There. Now!" Ranger stood quickly and moved toward the door but stopped in his tracks seeing the woman standing there. Rebecca stood by the office door smiling and wringing her hands. He didn't really know what to say to her so she took the initiative.

Disappointment mixed with joy filled Rebecca's heart. She knew, just from the one date she had with the man standing in front of her, that she could never fill the shoes of the woman he lost. Rebecca also knew that now that Stephanie was found alive, she had no chance of keeping Ranger's attention. His true love was alive and she couldn't compare to her. "It's okay, Carlos. Your dream has come true. Your love is alive. She and your son need you! Go to them!" Ranger didn't hesitate any longer. He kissed her quickly on the cheek before running out the door and down the hallway with Bobby and Les right behind him. None of them turned around to glance at the woman standing in the hallway, alone.

####

The flight to LA was long and was spent going over everything that Bobby and Les knew, which unfortunately wasn't very much. They kept reassuring Ranger that they would learn more once they got to LA, but that did nothing to calm his nerves. Ranger was jittery and couldn't find his zone during the flight. Part of the recording kept running through his mind.

Stephanie had a son! He knew from the recording that the baby was his, but why didn't anyone know about it before she died? Did she not know and if she did, why didn't she tell him? Ranger's thoughts swirled around the knowledge of the baby and Ranger didn't like where his mind was going. Maybe she didn't want him to know because she didn't want to keep it.

Les caught Ranger's thoughts and he looked to Bobby. They needed to tell Ranger the truth about the baby, but they knew he'd be pissed at them for hiding it. Bobby nodded for Les to get it over with. Ranger couldn't kill his cousin, after all. Les sent him a 'gee thanks' look before opening his mouth.

"Ranger, there's something you need to know. Right before Stephanie 'died'...she took a pregnancy test and found out she was pregnant. She was so excited to tell you, but she wanted to wait until after her first doctor's appointment. She wanted to confirm it with her doctor before she told you. Rodriguez and I were with her when she took the test and she begged us to keep our mouths shut. She was beyond happy when she first found out." Les and Bobby watched as Ranger's eyes widened and then hardened when he realized that they knew.

"Why the FUCK didn't you tell me this information months ago?" Ranger's voice was full of anger but both men knew it was justified. Bobby stepped in and tried to talk the angry man.

"You were hurting enough, Ranger. Telling you that you not only lost Stephanie, but you lost a child too...it would have destroyed you."

"I STILL HAD A RIGHT TO KNOW!" The rage in his voice was obvious and it bounced off the plane's walls and windows.

"We're sorry Ranger. We only did what we thought was best for you. We were wrong, but there's no going back and changing it. Stephanie and your son need us at our best. We have to focus on getting them out of there." Bobby's voice penetrated Ranger's rage and his face softened slightly.

They were all quiet for several minutes. Each man was lost in their own personal thoughts. Ranger's voice finally broke the silence. "I still can't believe this is happening. I keep expecting to wake up and find out this is all a dream. I don't think I'd survive if I lost her again." Ranger hung his head and let out a sigh.

"Ranger, we're going to do everything we can to get her out of there along with your son. We're not going to let anything happen to them." Ranger looked at the two men sitting with him and nodded. He knew he could trust them. The problem was, could he trust himself?

The rest of the flight was made in silence. Bobby and Les knew that Ranger was getting his head right to lead the operation. It was something that he'd done many other times in countless other countries. This time was different though. The stakes have never been higher than they were now, his love's freedom and possibly her life was on the line.

####

Tank and the rest of the guys were gathered in a hotel room in LA. It was only about three miles from where Stephanie was and even then, Tank thought it was too far away. He wanted to stay camped out close to the house in case she needed him. He knew the second Ranger arrived, that was where that man would be as much as he could.

The guys were all sitting around speculating about the reason they were there, while Junior and Tank whispered in the corner of the room. Everyone jumped when they heard a loud pounding on the door. Rodriguez jumped up to answer it and stepped back as a pissed off Ranger stalked into the room. Bobby and Les were behind him trying to talk to him down.

Ranger walked right up to Tank and punched him in the jaw. Tank's head snapped back and Ranger pulled back to punch him again, but Cal and Hal grabbed him before he could strike. Tank straightened back up and stepped in front of Ranger.

"Let him go. I deserve this." Cal and Hal looked at each other and then let Ranger go. Ranger didn't throw another punch though. Instead, he stepped into Tank's personal space and spoke to him in a calm, deadly voice.

"You fucked up, Pierre! You gave me an order and you fucked up. Whatever has happened to her in the last six months is **your** fault! Tell. Me. Where. She. Is!" Most of the guys had no idea who he was talking about, but they knew there was only one person that could get that type of reaction from their boss.

"She's in a house about three miles away. You've heard the recording so you know she's in trouble." Tank started to talk, but was interrupted by a very angry Rodriguez.

"WHO the fuck are you talking about?" His voice was loud and bounced off the room's walls.

"Everybody sit. We'll go over the intel and we'll form a plan." Tank ran his hand over his face. He was exhausted and knew sleep wasn't going to come for him anytime soon. He looked toward Ranger before asking, "How does that sound to you, Boss?"

Ranger nodded and took a seat in a stiff chair beside the small dining table. The rest of the guys took a seat wherever they could find a space and looked at Tank who was the only one standing in the room. It was time to totally blow these guys minds.

"Approximately thirty-six hours ago, Junior was working a party at a nearby house when he spotted a woman who looked like Stephanie. He reported his findings to me, so I flew out here to investigate." The room got silent as every guy listened intently to Tank. "It's her. The woman living as Malena Sanchez is in fact Stephanie Plum."

No one spoke after hearing that. No one knew exactly what to say. Rodriguez finally broke the silence. "Are you sure?" His tone was full of hope and a little apprehension. He refused to get his hopes up.

"Play the recording." Tank knew that wasn't a request, it was an order from Ranger, so he hit play on his laptop. The conversation started and everyone listened as Stephanie's voice filled the room. They all growled as they heard the man slap her, and the room filled with an eerie silence as the men listened to Stephanie plead for Ranger to find her.

Cal spoke the second the tape ended. "Where is she and how do we get Steph and her son out?" Everyone nodded in agreement to Cal's question.

"We can't just rush in there. We already know that Luciano is abusing her, so I doubt he'll have a problem killing her. There's also the baby to think about. From the interaction I saw with Stephanie and Sanchez, I think he's using the child to control her. He mentioned that she lost privileges that day. I think he's using the kid to make sure she's obeying him. He probably wouldn't have a problem hurting the kid either." Tank's voice was hard. "We need to come up with a solid plan to get her and the baby out. Ranger, what do you suggest?"

Everyone turned to look at Ranger who was staring at Tank with his blank face. "I want to see the house. I need to know how many guards are there and what their locations are. I would like someone on the inside, but that might not happen. We don't know how paranoid this guy is. I won't risk Stephanie or the baby."

The guys all nodded in agreement as Ranger continued. "Rodriguez, start searching. I want to know EVERYTHING about their schedules. Do they have a routine? Find me everything you can." Rodriguez jumped up and grabbed his laptop. He wanted to get started.

"Hector, do you still have contacts out here?" Hector nodded and smiled evilly. "Good, tap them and let them know that we might need their help. Sanchez's father was an evil son of a bitch, so I want to be prepared for his son."

Ranger turned an eye to Junior. "Why wasn't this guy the prime suspect six months ago when we were searching? You were the info guy on that mission, what do you know?"

"All the information we had on this guy pointed that he was a straight-laced kid. He hated his dad's business and refused any part in it. He even refused his dad to pay for his college education. He thought the money was tainted so he worked his ass off and got full-ride scholarships. He disappeared after the takedown in Columbia. He dropped off the radar and then reappeared with his wife about eight months ago in LA. We didn't catch it because we weren't watching him. He was a non-issue." Junior hung his head. He felt guilty for not thinking about Luciano months ago.

"Don't beat yourself up. If he wasn't on the radar, then he was smart. None of us caught on to him." Ranger laid a hand on Junior's shoulder as he spoke. Ranger felt the same guilt that Junior did. "Now the big question, if Stephanie is here...who was in her apartment and who did they bury?"

Junior spoke up again to fill in the rest of the team. "When I first got back to Trenton after seeing Stephanie, I started looking into missing persons reports for the time of the explosion. Six months ago, there was none in our area that would match Steph, but I found a match when I searched yesterday. A prostitute reported that her roommate, Freda, went missing around the same time of the explosion. She waited to report it because she thought Freda was just with her pimp, but when the pimp finally came looking for her, she got worried." Junior passed around a picture. Everyone agreed that the woman could pass for Stephanie. That is if you didn't see her face, hair or her eyes. Which worked because all that was left of her were charred remains. "Freda Alexander, age 26. She's been a working girl since she turned 14 and her mom kicked her out. My guess is that it's Freda buried in the plot marked Stephanie Plum."

"Why wasn't there an autopsy done on the corpse?" Cal posed a legitimate question to the group.

Sighing, Tank fielded the answer. He had been the one working with the police and Steph's family in the days after the explosion. "There wasn't a need. Junior and Hector reported that she was in her apartment, and the body found was a female that was about her same size. The fire marshal ruled it accidental because of the gas leak, so the cops closed the case before it really even got started. The family didn't request an autopsy, so one wasn't performed." Tank let out another sigh and slid his hand over his tired face. "In hind sight…I can see where we messed up. I'm sure if we looked closer at the delivery guy's suicide, we would have found something fishy. I'm sure he had help pulling that trigger. I think we were all so distraught over what happened that we let our standards slip. We messed up and Stephanie's had to pay for it for the past year." Every man in the room could see the regret on Tank's face. He was beating himself up on the inside and every man knew it.

Without saying a word, Ranger picked up his phone and dialed a number that he hadn't thought of in almost a year. He knew someone who could help them find out answers to their questions.

####

Joe Morelli sat in his office in Trenton. He had recently been promoted to Sergeant and was in charge of the Vice Detectives. His wedding was rapidly approaching and his fiancée, Hannah, was busy with the final details. He glanced at the picture frame on his desk and sighed. On one side, was a picture of him and Hannah taken last month at a police fundraiser, they looked happy together and Joe really did love her.

On the other side of the frame was a picture of him and Stephanie. It was taken years ago on the beach in Point Pleasant. They were happy together, then, too but he didn't love her like he loved Hannah. He did, however, miss her every single day. His cell phone rang interrupting his memories of Stephanie. He glanced at the caller ID and was shocked to see Ranger's name.

Joe answered with his normal greeting. "Morelli."

"It's Manoso, we've got a situation and need your help." Joe cringed inwardly. He didn't know if he wanted to be involved in anything with Ranger, but he heard something in the man's voice that made him curious. There was almost a level of excitement or anticipation.

"What you got? I'll do what I can."

"I need you to exhume Stephanie's body and perform a DNA test." Joe hung his head. He had seen the obsession that had consumed Ranger after Stephanie died. He thought Manoso had moved on and wasn't looking for her anymore, but Joe guessed he must have been wrong. He was about to say something to Ranger when the other man started talking again. "I know what you're thinking but there's something you need to know. Stephanie's alive. She's alive and we found her in LA. I'm here with a team and we're going to get her back. We think the woman we buried is a missing prostitute named Freda Alexander. I want to be able to put Freda's friend's mind at ease."

Joe was stunned and couldn't believe what Manoso was saying. Stephanie was alive? She couldn't be. Could she? He had to get confirmation before he got his hopes up. "How sure are you the woman out there in LA is Stephanie? What proof do you have?"

Ranger let out a long sigh before telling Joe what he needed to hear. "Trust me, Joe. We have her voice on a recording. She's calling for me to help her. Even if she didn't say my name, I would have known it was her." Joe knew Ranger was telling the truth. Stephanie and Ranger always had such an intense connection.

Joe knew, then, that he would do anything to help bring Stephanie home. "Consider it done. Let me know if there's anything you need me to do on this side of the country." Joe heard Ranger make a sound of agreement, but before Manoso could hang up he had to say one last thing. "Ranger, bring our girl home."

"You don't have to worry about that. She's coming home with me." Joe smiled when he heard the call disconnect. He hung up and immediately picked up his desk phone and got busy doing what he needed to do.

####

Back in LA, the guys had a plan formed and each one had an assigned task. Ranger and Tank were the only two not actively busy doing anything, so Ranger sent Tank a look. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Ranger wanted to go to the house. He wanted to see her for himself.

Tank informed Bobby that he and Ranger would be back later and to inform them if anything important came up. All the men smirked as they watched the two men walk out the hotel room door. They knew exactly where they were going.

Ranger lay in the exact same spot Tank occupied a day before. He had the binoculars and the listening device trained toward the house and prayed for just a glimpse of her or just a second of her sweet voice.

Tank and Ranger stayed there for hours without seeing or hearing anything, but Ranger refused to give up. He had to see her. Finally, his patience was rewarded when the back door opened and a group of people came out to sit on the patio. He picked out Luciano and growled, but then he finally saw her.

She was blonde and her hair was straight, but it was Stephanie. He knew it was her because he could feel her. Tingles started on the back of his neck and traveled down his spine. He hadn't felt that feeling in way too long and Ranger knew that he would do anything to make sure he felt it every day for the rest of his life.

Ranger watched as Stephanie sat down on a lounge chair. She was talking to another woman, so Ranger turned up the volume of the listening device to hear her clearly. Eventually, he heard the sweetest sound and his heart almost exploded in pure joy. Ranger heard Stephanie's laugh.

"God, Nicole...I can't believe you married him after he acted like that." Stephanie laughed again and shook her head. The other woman laughed with her.

"Well, you know what they say. You can't help who you fall in love with. You have that same thing with Luciano, Malena. He's probably done some stupid things before and you still love him." Stephanie's laugh became forced and Ranger knew she was acting then.

"I guess you're right. So, when is our next shopping spree? I haven't spent my husband's money in ages. I think we need to splurge while you're in town." Ranger's ears perked up along with Tank's who was listening too.

"Well, I'm free tomorrow and I agree. I need to spend some of Juan's money too. It's not every day we get out of Columbia." Ranger glanced back at Tank. He didn't need to say anything because his second in command was already reading his thoughts.

Ranger turned his attention back to the women's conversation and listened as Stephanie spoke. "Tomorrow sounds good to me. I would love to get out of the house."

"Will that adorable little boy be joining us? I can't believe how cute he is and Luciano is such a good father!" Ranger's anger skyrocketed. Luciano is NOT that baby's father and Ranger was going to enjoy reminding him of that later!

When Stephanie responded, Ranger could hear the fear and sadness in her voice as she rubbed the back of her neck. "No, I doubt Luciano will let little Luc go. He doesn't like the baby being out in public very much and when he does it is only if HE's with us, but that doesn't mean you and I can't go have a good time. The nanny will stay with Luc." Ranger could hear the shudder in her voice when she said 'nanny'. Tank caught it too and growled.

"Sounds great! Pick a place for lunch and we can meet there before heading to the shops." The woman, Nicole, was smiling. Another woman brought out a baby and handed him to Stephanie. Ranger's heart almost exploded again when he saw his son for the first time.

"There's my baby boy! Did you enjoy your nap?" Stephanie cuddled the baby for a second before turning her attention back to the other woman. "I'll reserve my normal table at Boca Mercat for one o'clock. You're going to love the food there." Nicole smiled and nodded in agreement. The man who was talking to Luciano approached and took her by the arm.

"We must be going, dear. Malena, it was lovely to see you again." Stephanie smiled at the couple as they retreated back into the house. She looked nervously at Luciano before smiling again at her son. Luciano glared at her before returning to the house, too. It was just Stephanie and the baby sitting outside when she started talking to him.

"I know your Daddy is out there somewhere. I can feel him. I just hope he comes and gets us soon. I don't like leaving you here with that nanny, but Mommy doesn't have a choice Little Man. Just remember one thing while I'm gone, tomorrow. No matter what anyone says, your name is Carlos Joaquin Manoso and your Mommy and REAL Daddy love you so very much." Ranger couldn't stop the tears of joy that began falling from his eyes.

Ranger stayed and watched Stephanie and his son until Luciano came back and forced her back into the house. Before going inside she turned and looked right where Ranger laid. He didn't know how she did it, but she knew exactly where he was and he saw the small smile form on her lips. Then she mouthed, I love you, before walking through the door.

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A/N - Hopefully this chapter will get you through the weekend. The next one should be out on Monday! Please take a moment and leave a few words to let me know your thoughts. I'm a review slut! : D


	21. Shopping and Surprises

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

I'm simply glowing from all the reviews! Thank you all so much for taking the time to leave your thoughts. They really do mean the world to me.

Hugs to Potterwench, my fantastic beta. This story would not be the same without you!

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**Chapter 21 - Shopping and Surprises**

Later that same evening, a determined Ranger and Tank returned to the hotel room to formulate a game plan. Now that Ranger knew where Stephanie was going to be the next day, he wanted contact made with her while she was shopping. Even though he didn't exactly know her plans, he heard where she was meeting the other woman for lunch. The guys would need a plan to pick up surveillance at the restaurant and follow the women to wherever they decided to shop, before that could happen though, the Merry Men and Ranger had multiple details to work out.

The second both men stepped into the crowded hotel room, Hal approached Ranger smiling like a fool. "I think I found us an 'in' into the house." Ranger raised an eye brow at Hal's apparent exuberance. "We were searching the employees of Luciano's and found something interesting. My cousin, Paul, is one of the guards in the house. I don't know how he got mixed up with Luciano, but I don't really care. I've already called him and he's on his way to the hotel to talk with us."

Tank let out a whistle and Ranger narrowed his eyes at Hal. "Can we trust him?" Ranger wasn't about to let someone he didn't know into this inner circle. He refused to give information to the enemy, especially when that information could endanger his Babe.

"I didn't tell him why I wanted to talk to him because I didn't want him acting suspicious when he left. I just said that I'm in town and wanted to see him. He and I grew up together and we're practically like brothers." Hal shrugged and then heard a knock at the door. "Let me talk to him. I think we'll be able to use him though."

Ranger gave Hal a stiff nod before he turned and opened the door. Hal stepped aside and let a tall, muscled man about his age walk into the room. They did a complicated man shake and then Hal introduced him to the rest of the guys. The cousin, Paul, looked around the room suspiciously. Computers, files, papers and coffee cups covered every available surface of the small room.

"What's going on, Hal? You guys look like you're planning a war!" Hal looked to Ranger and got a small nod. He knew that nod meant he was allowed to tell Paul the reason for their presence in LA. In the few minutes that it took to introduce Paul to everyone, Ranger assessed the man and trusted his instincts when they told him that Paul could be trusted. Besides, he was their best chance of having an inside man next to Stephanie.

"We kind of are preparing for battle. Someone very important was taken from us and we're here in LA to get her back. We'll do anything we have to do to rescue and protect her from harm." Hal's voice turned menacing and Paul's eyebrow shot up. He remembered his cousin being a docile man who very rarely got angry, but the man standing in front of him was visibly pissed off…

Paul knew, then, that whatever his cousin was involved in was important and he wanted to help him anyway he could. "I've never seen you so angry before, Man, so whatever you're involved in...how can I help? Where's this woman at?"

Hal smiled, wickedly. His cousin was falling right where they needed him. "Where are you working now, Paul?" Hal already knew the answer, but he wanted to see how much his cousin would talk about his employer.

Paul didn't know why it mattered, but from the look on his cousin's face, it was important for him. He'd signed a confidentiality contract before taking the job, but that didn't bother him. His employer was crazy anyway. "Man, I'm working for some psycho guy guarding his wife. He's paranoid and crazy and made me sign a confidentiality contract, so I could get in trouble for telling you guys about this, but between you and me…." he met the eyes of the guys sitting on the edge of their seats looking at him. He thought for a second about asking his cousin to talk in private but then decided to just forget it. If Hal trusted these men then so should he. After a shrug, he continued. "….there's some funny shit going on in that house." Shaking his head, Paul let out a long sigh. Needing to know more about what was happening to Stephanie, Ranger took over the questioning.

"What do you mean funny?" Paul looked at Ranger and could see the almost frantic look on his face. Ranger was thinking about the worse possible things happening to his Babe and it almost made him sick.

Paul wanted to put Ranger's mind at ease, so he told him the truth about what he'd witnessed. "I mean the man and woman are supposed to be husband and wife, but they're never together. He treats her like shit and beats her whenever she tries to stand up for herself or if he thinks she disobeyed him. She stays as far away from him as possible as much of the time as she can and they don't even sleep in the same WING of the house. But the weird thing is that they only act like that when they're alone. When there are other people around, or they're out in public, they act all lovey-dovey. He treats her like a loving wife and she treats him like a doting husband. It's some weird shit if you ask me. The Bossman even keeps her from seeing the kid. The nanny, who is his personal piece of ass, is the one in charge of the baby. The wife, Malena, only gets to see her son for like two hours a day, and that's only if she is good. If she does something to piss off the boss, he won't let her see him at all that day or possibly the next. It's some crazy shit and I want to get out, but I can't." Paul ran his hand through his short blonde hair in obvious frustration.

Ranger's heart was beating wildly. It hurt thinking about his Babe being beaten and held against her will but Ranger also knew that Stephanie would do anything to keep her baby safe. She would endure beatings to make sure her son didn't. Paul's last statement intrigued Ranger, so with a raised eye brow he asked Paul to clarify. "Why can't you just quit? Will the husband not let you?"

"Nah, he don't care. Like I said, I signed that contract, so he knows I can't talk about what goes on in that house." Paul let out a long sigh and looked right into Ranger's eyes. For some reason, Paul understood that Ranger was the one who needed to hear the information he carried. "I can't quit because I can't bear to leave Malena there all alone. I'm the only one inside the house who cares enough to help her. She don't deserve to be treated like that and no one else seems to care about her. She's given me some hints that she's being held against her will, so I've done what I can to help her. I let her use my cell phone a few times to call someone. She was pregnant and said she just needed to hear some guy's voice." Ranger paled and sat down hard in the seat behind him. The phone calls he got were his Babe. She was trying to reach out to him and he ignored her. But why didn't she say anything when he answered? That was a question Ranger would have to ask Stephanie when he got the chance.

Ranger shook off the unproductive feelings of guilt and returned to the conversation. He knew Paul could be trusted and since he'd already been helping Stephanie, Ranger wanted to bring him fully into the operation. "What if I told you that the 'wife' you're guarding is who we're here to get? Her real name is Stephanie Plum. She and I were in a relationship and we all thought she died almost a year ago." Paul's eyes grew wide and he looked at Hal.

"You mean I've been guarding your Bomber?" Paul heard a few stories of the spunky woman from his cousin and couldn't believe the broken, sad woman he had watched was the legend he'd come to love just from the stories.

Hal nodded sadly and spoke, "You have been and we need your help to get her back. She means more than you'll ever know to every person in this room plus a whole lot of people back in Trenton. Can we trust you to help us?" Paul scrunched his face up in confusion.

"Of course you can trust me, Man! That poor woman is the only reason I'm still working for that asshole! I'll do whatever I can to get her out of there and back to you, but it's not going to be easy. Luciano won't let her and the kid out of the house together without him. I could get her out, but the kid is a different story. The nanny is the only one who gets to leave the house with him. I heard the nanny threaten the baby one day, so I think that's how they're controlling Stephanie. She won't do anything to put that child in harm's way." Paul looked at the men standing around him and he could see the love and concern they each held for the woman.

Rage flared inside Ranger. This whole situation was his worst nightmare. "That's what I was afraid of." Letting out a long sigh, Ranger quickly threw together a plan in his mind. He needed Paul to get Stephanie a message. "Okay here's what we do. Paul, I want you to go back to the house and tell Stephanie something for me. Tell her that Batman and the Merry Men are here and they're working on a plan to get both her and her son out. Tell her to go about her daily life as normal, but to be on the lookout for someone tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have a plan worked out by then and one of us can get close enough to talk to her." Ranger stood and walked back to a computer after talking to Paul. He wanted to know the layout of the closest mall. Paul informed them that's where the women would be going after lunch the next day.

Paul agreed to pass on the message and gave his word to every man in the room that he would do anything to keep her safe. He knew how important she was to them and he'd only known them for about an hour. He wasn't going to let anything bad happen to Hal's Bomber. Saying his goodbyes, Paul left the hotel and quickly made his way back to the house. He knew relying the message would brighten Stephanie's day.

####

Back at the Sanchez's estate, Paul whistled as he walked the opulent halls of the south wing. Luciano had money to blow and had a sense of style so his house screamed wealth. The South wing held four bedrooms and five bathrooms and was where Stephanie stayed. Paul was one of the few guards allowed to enter that side of the house. Luciano didn't trust many people, but for some reason, Paul was one of the lucky few he allowed around his wife.

Walking into her bedroom suite after a soft knock, Paul found Stephanie sitting in an overstuffed chair staring out the window. It was dark outside, so Paul knew she wasn't looking at the lush forest on that side of the house. He knew she was lost in her internal thoughts and could tell from her look and from the tear tracks on her face that she was upset.

Stephanie's eyes snapped up when she heard someone walk into room. She quickly wiped away the tears because Luciano thought crying was weak and would punish her if he saw tears. Stephanie relaxed when she saw it was Paul because de was the only guard that she trusted. It was weird, but she almost thought of him like a Merry Man, so she felt comfortable and safe with him near. Stephanie was glad Paul was the one who was in charge of her security.

"Hey Paul! Tony said you left the house tonight to visit a family member. Is everything okay?" Paul smiled at the woman in front of him. There she was being held hostage and she was worried about him. He understood what each of those men in the hotel saw in her before, but her genuine concern and compassion for him made him admire her even more.

"Everything is fine. I went to see my cousin and some friends of his." Paul gave her a bright smile and sat down in the chair across from her so she would hear him when he whispered. "Apparently they're friends of yours too." Her brows scrunched together and she looked at him with a look that said, what the fuck are you talking about? For her to understand, he decided to relay the message Ranger asked him to. "I have a message from one bad ass looking dude. He said to tell you that Batman and the Merry Men are here and they're working on a plan to get you and the kid out."

Relief flooded into Stephanie as her eyes filled with tears. She didn't even bother holding them back this time. She had known that Ranger was in LA. She had felt him earlier outside and she prayed that he was figuring out a way to get her and CJ out. "He also said that you're supposed to go about your life like normal. Don't do anything to cause suspicion. Tomorrow when you're out, look for someone to contact you. They're hoping to have a plan in place and will fill you in then."

Stephanie was too relieved and stunned to speak, so she nodded her head in understanding. Paul reached out and wiped a few of her tears off before talking again. "I'm going to tell you what I told my cousin, Hal, and his friends. I'm going to do whatever I can to protect you and to keep you safe. I'm no longer the enemy here. I'm working for the good guys." Stephanie launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. For the first time since she'd been taken, she actually felt hope flood her heart.

####

The next morning, Stephanie woke up before her alarm in a positive mood. It was the first time in a year that she could remember being excited about anything. There was a spark of hope in her once discouraged heart, it spurred her to quickly shower and dress for her shopping date. Stephanie was anxious to see who exactly would be contacting her and to hear what they had planned. She hoped that morning was one of the last few she'd have to wake up in the cold bedroom.

Luciano was actually pleasant at breakfast that morning and agreed at breakfast to let her spend a few hours with CJ before she left. She thanked him and ate quickly before heading to the East wing where her son lived with the nanny. When she walked into the nursery, she heard her son cooing from his crib and went directly to where he was laying. His blue eyes met hers and Stephanie couldn't hold back the smile from spreading across her face. Her son was the only thing that kept her going the past year.

Picking CJ up out of his crib, Stephanie walked him over to the fluffy rocking chair and sat down with him like she had so many other mornings. "Good morning Little Man! How's Momma's boy today? Huh? Did you sleep good?" Stephanie was talking to her son when she felt another presence enter the room.

Stephanie knew who it was immediately when she heard the cold, hate filled voice speak to her as the woman stepped out of the joined bathroom. "He slept fine, not to say that even if he didn't it would be your problem to deal with. I'm the one stuck here taking care of your bastard son." Katrina Erikson was the sister of the real Malena and CJ's nanny.

"I would trade you places in a heartbeat, Katrina. You can have everything you want and I get everything that I want." Katrina glared at Stephanie before walking toward the nursery's door.

"I'm think I'm going to go spend some time with Luciano since you're going to be here for a while. I think Daddy needs some attention." Katrina purred making Stephanie shudder thinking about how the woman was going to spend time with that psychopath.

As much as she hated to admit it, Stephanie was thankful for Katrina's presence in the house. Stephanie knew the nanny was the only reason that she hadn't become Luciano Sanchez's personal sex slave. Stephanie had been spared that humiliation and torture. But from the looks of Katrina, she didn't mind her place with Luciano. She despised the baby duties, but she liked the other benefits.

When Katrina finally exited the room leaving mother and son alone, Stephanie turned her attention back to CJ. She didn't know if the room was bugged and she didn't want Luciano to know anything about what Paul had told her, so she talked about random things. When she could tell he was getting sleepy, she propped him up on her chest and began to sing to his favorite song. Singing to CJ was Stephanie's favorite time with her son. She gently stroked his dark hair as she rocked and sang him into a deep sleep, but continued rocking and humming even though he was asleep. Stephanie refused to give up time with CJ. She was worried about the shopping trip because she knew if anything happened, she wouldn't be able to see him again for a few days. Stephanie hated when Luciano refused to allow her to visit her baby boy.

A few hours later, Katrina strode back into the room with a sickening smile on her face. She plucked the baby out of Stephanie's arms and roughly put him back in his crib. "Don't hold him so much. When you're not here, he thinks I'm going to do it and it's annoying. All he does is cry."

Tears filled Stephanie's eyes. "He's just a baby. He needs to be held." Katrina rolled her eyes and covered the sleeping baby before turning back to glare at Stephanie.

"Let me worry about what he needs. You just worry about making your husband happy. You know what will happen if you upset him, don't you?" Stephanie swallowed hard because she knew exactly what would happen. "He told me to tell you to stop by his office before going to meet Nicole. I'm sure he wants to give you a warning of his own." Stephanie placed a kiss on her son's head before walking solemnly out the door. She prayed that she would get to see CJ the next day.

Stephanie spent a few minutes in her room touching up her makeup and fixing her hair. Luciano liked her to look her best when she went out of the house. She made sure to do everything possible to keep him happy. Grabbing her purse, Stephanie walked into the main part of the house and directly to Luciano's office. She didn't really want to see him, but knew she had to before she left or else he would get angry. He was behind his desk when she walked into the room and Luciano smiled when he saw her.

"Ah, there's my beautiful wife!" Luciano gushed. Stephanie looked around to see who was in the office with him, but didn't see anyone. He never called her his wife unless there were other people around and he had to act. When it was just the two of them, he was usually abusive and hateful. "Did you have a good visit with our son? He's really amazing isn't he? He's going to look just like me when he grows up."

Stephanie was confused and a little worried. Luciano knew that the baby wasn't really his, but he had formed a tight bond with him anyway. He even named the boy after himself but Stephanie refused to call him Luciano, Jr. though. If anything, she called him Luc around people, and even that was hard.

She didn't quite know how to respond to Luciano's mood, so she just gave him a small smile before saying, "He is going to be a looker. What did you need to talk to me about? I'm going to be late for my reservation if I don't hurry." Luciano's face hardened and he grabbed Stephanie's arm roughly and she knew she'd have a bruise there later.

"I don't give a fuck if you're going to be late. You're my wife first and a friend is second! Don't push me, Malena." Fear curled in Stephanie's belly. She didn't want to have to explain a bruise on her face to Nicole or to which ever Merry Man she met later.

"I'm sorry, Luciano. It won't happen again." His face softened slightly as did the grip on her arm.

"That's better." He leaned in to kiss her lips, but she turned and offered him her cheek instead. He glared at her and clenched his jaw. "I'll forget about that for now, but the next time I want to kiss you, you will let me." Giving Stephanie one last narrow eyed glare, Luciano continued with his conversation. "Now for the reason I called you down here, my birthday is next Tuesday, and I expect you'll want to throw me a party. Is that right?"

Stephanie hadn't even known his birthday was close and she sure as hell didn't think about throwing him a party; but from the intense look on his face, she guessed that she was expected to do that for her husband. "Yes, Dear. I have some ideas for a party. I would like to hire a party planner to help with the rest. Do you have any requests?"

"Small, no more than fifty of our closest friends, it will be held here at the house and I'll call in some extra muscle for the evening." Luciano looked far away and then went to his desk and sniffed some white powder up his nose. This was the first time Stephanie had seen him use drugs and it worried her. She knew he was in the business of smuggling and selling cocaine, but she thought he stayed away from the use. Maybe that explained some of his strange behaviors.

Stephanie didn't like hearing that he was calling in extra help. "Why the extra muscle? Is something wrong?"

"Just a feeling I've had. Something feels off and I refuse to expose you or my son to harm. I will make sure you are safe, Mami." Luciano gently stroked her face with his finger. "I can't lose you, Malena." Stephanie shuddered at his touch and at the emotion behind his voice. He was never that ardent with her in private and never called her Malena when they were alone either.

"I'll let you know the details when I get them all worked out. It will be a great party and nothing will happen." Stephanie's heart was beating frantically. She knew that the party was going to be the perfect opportunity for Ranger and the guys to get her and CJ out of this situation. She just needed to tell them about it.

"I hope you're right, Malena. I hope you're right." He moved in to kiss her again, but again she turned her head out of habit and knew she was in trouble the second she did it. "I forgave you the first time, but you will pay for that one. Since I can't hurt you now, I will have to wait for you to get home. Have a good time with Nicole, and make sure you do not disappoint me. Katrina is upstairs with Luciano, Jr. right now. I would hate to have to call her." Stephanie knew the hidden meaning behind his words and once again a shudder went through her body. She hated leaving CJ in the hands of these evil people, but she had absolutely no choice. Stephanie felt Luciano's eyes on her as she made her way out the office door.

Paul was waiting for her by the front door and he escorted her out to the waiting car. Stephanie was thankful that he was with her. She needed his strength to walk away, once again, from her CJ.

Lunch at Baco Mercat was always delicious and that day was no different. To Nicole, Stephanie was Malena Sanchez. It was hard sometimes keeping up two different personalities, but Stephanie managed. She and Nicole laughed their way through lunch as they talked about their husbands.

Stephanie kept an eye out for a Merry Man or Ranger all through lunch, but she never saw anyone. She didn't get a tingle, so she knew Ranger wasn't close. Maybe they decided it wasn't safe. Maybe they hadn't come up with a plan. Her hope fell slightly at those thoughts.

After lunch, Stephanie and Nicole headed to the Beverly Center with Paul in tow. Stephanie wasn't worried about having a bodyguard anymore and she felt even better when it was Paul. He tended to blend in and guard from a distance, rather than suffocate her like some of the others had before him.

Stephanie's neck started tingling the second she stepped into Bloomingdale's. She casually looked around for Ranger, but she didn't see anything or anyone that looked familiar. Maybe she was going crazy, so she shook off the feeling and started shopping with Nicole.

They spent about two hours trying on dresses and shoes before taking their purchases up to the front of the store to check out. Stephanie felt the tingle intensify, so she casually looked around again. She was still looking when the sales lady snapped her fingers in front of Stephanie's face. She hadn't realized that she zoned out. She apologized and paid for her purchases.

"Let's head to Vicky's next. I want to get some new things for later tonight, and I bet you want to get something for Luciano." Stephanie shuddered, but let Nicole lead her out into the giant mall.

As they approached Victoria's Secret, Stephanie caught a glimpse of a black clad muscled man, but she didn't get to see if it was one of her Merry Men or not so she followed her shopping companion into the store. Maybe she was getting her hopes up too high. She knew they wouldn't risk being seen by anyone in public.

Stephanie was browsing through the selection of linen pajama pants. She had no intentions on buying Luciano anything from this store but she'd need to make it look good to Nicole. Stephanie was browsing when she felt someone move up behind her. She turned around and looked into familiar eyes, but an unfamiliar face and body. "Would you like to try some on? I'll get your size for you and show you to our special fitting room."

The voice was heavy with a Latin accent and Stephanie knew she'd heard that voice before. She looked into the whisky colored eyes and the realization hit her. She was looking at Hector in drag. His makeup that covered his tattoos was done perfectly and he actually looked good as a woman.

"I'd like that. Let me grab a few pairs to try on." Hector nodded and Stephanie picked out seven or eight different pairs of pants. She had no intention of trying them on anyway, so it didn't really matter.

When she had her merchandise in hand, Hector led her to the very back of the fitting area to a large room with a full door instead of the curtain that the other rooms had. "There is something special for you waiting inside. I'll be out here if you need anything." Stephanie smiled at Hector and stepped into the fitting room.

She looked around the large room, but didn't see anyone or anything. There were a few chairs, a small couch and a privacy screen stood in a corner of the room. She threw the pants down on the chair and started walking slowly toward the corner where the screen stood. She peaked behind it, but there was nothing there either. Stephanie made a face and then held in a scream as she was swept into muscular arms.

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A/N - There ya have it! Maybe some of your questions got answered and maybe you now have some more. Hopefully I'll answer everything before the story is over. We've still got quite a few chapters to go. Be sure to leave me a few words telling me what you thought. Good, bad, ugly...I don't care!


	22. The Best Laid Plans

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews and fav/follows! You gals sure know how to make me feel special! I haven't gotten to responding to each one, and I apologize about that. I will hopefully do better!

Hugs and kisses to my Lou and beta Potterwench! This story wouldn't be possible without ya. Love you!

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**Chapter 22 - The Best Laid Plans**

Even though she was expecting one of her friends, Stephanie almost didn't hold back the scream when the arms wrapped around her. She knew from the scent alone that it wasn't Ranger and even though these arms weren't the ones she wanted or needed, they were still strong and familiar. She instantly melted back into his embrace and did her best to hold back the tears. Turning around into his arms, Stephanie looked up into the deep brown eyes of her partner before burying her head into his chest and letting go of the tears.

After holding her for several minutes while she cried, Rodriguez pulled her back a little so he could look into her eyes again. Wiping away the tears, he smiled at her and spoke from his heart. "Dulzura, it is so good to see you! You have no idea how much I've missed you!"

Letting out a whimper, Stephanie latched onto Dante again. He was her lifeline at that minute and she didn't want to let him go. "God, you have no idea how I've missed you guys, too! Where is everyone? Where's Ranger? I feel him, but I can't see him." Rodriguez laughed and hugged her closer again.

"Ranger's in the security office of the mall watching you on the cameras. He knew he couldn't get close to you without grabbing you and once he had you in his arms, he would not be letting go. He wouldn't be able to let you walk away, and we all know that's what has to be done." Stephanie smiled, sadly, and nodded. She knew Dante was being honest with her and she understood Ranger's feelings completely. If he'd been the one in the room, she doubted she'd have been able to walk away either.

"Are you going to be able to let me go?" Rodriguez let out a sigh and ran his finger down her tear-stained face.

"It's going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do, but I trust Ranger and the operation that he's planning. I can't fly off the handle like I did all those years ago. I have to follow my CO's orders." Stephanie remembered the story that he told her and smiled gently at him. He was going against everything he believes in to watch her walk away and she knew how hard that had to be for him.

"Well, I'm glad you're following Ranger. I trust him to get me and CJ out. I have some information for you guys." Rodriguez raised an eyebrow. Stephanie giggled and continued. "Next Tuesday, I have to throw psycho man a birthday party at the house. He's using his own product and is paranoid, so he's calling in more bodyguards for that night, but I think it will be the easiest way for you all to get in. I need to hire a party planner to help me because I have no idea what I'm doing." Stephanie looked nervous and Dante suddenly got a very good idea.

"What if we got Hector to be your party planner? He would have access to the house before hand and would be able to feed us information and he would already be in place the night of the party. Hector would have access to you as well without alerting Luciano. We don't want to use Paul too much because we don't him to be under any suspicion." Stephanie thought about the plan and realized that it was actually pretty smart. Hector already fooled her as the saleswoman, so she was certain he could pull off a party planner. Stephanie smiled at Dante and nodded.

Giggling, Stephanie asked, "Would he still be in drag?" Dante smiled and shook his head at Stephanie's incredulous voice. "I still can't believe he's out there in a dress."

"That man would be out there naked if it meant helping you." Stephanie smiled because she knew that it was true. She knew any man from RangeMan would do anything to help her out just like she'd do anything for them. Rodriguez looked at her speculatively. "Would it make Luciano more comfortable if Hector was in drag?" Stephanie thought, seriously, a minute and then nodded.

"He would be more inclined to leave me alone with another woman than he would be a man, gay or not." As paranoid as Luciano seemed earlier that day, Stephanie wondered if he'd accept her being with a woman.

"Okay, so expect Hector to show up tomorrow around 1400 tomorrow. Warn your 'husband' that you've contacted a party planner, so he's not surprised when girl-Hector shows up. We'll work the details of the operation out after he talks to you. Sound good?"

Stephanie thought about it and nodded. She saw no other way for a rescue to work, but she was worried about what could happen. Every possible scenario ran through her mind and the majority of them had an outcome that Stephanie would not accept. Before she agreed to anything, Stephanie had to have one guarantee from her partner. "You have to promise me something, Dante." Rodriguez looked at her with concern. He could hear the fear and determination in her voice.

"I'll do anything for you, Dulzura. All you have to do is ask," Dante whispered.

"Promise me that if things turn bad Tuesday night, that you will do everything you can to get CJ out. Luciano has made it clear that he'll hurt him if anything goes wrong at any time. Get him out first, please. I can't bear the thought of something happening to him." Rodriguez looked into Stephanie's blue eyes and brushed the blonde hair away from her face.

"I promise that I will do everything in my power to keep your son safe. I'll make sure that he's my responsibility." A tear fell from Stephanie's eye as she hugged her partner close.

"Thank you, Dante." Rodriguez barely heard her whisper. He hugged her tighter and then heard a soft knock at the door. He knew that was Hector saying their time was up.

"I gotta go, but just remember that we're here. We won't let anything happen to either of you." Stephanie nodded as she watched him walk toward the door.

"Dante!" He turned around and looked at her. "Would you tell Ranger that I love him and I can't wait to be in his arms again?" He smiled and with a quick nod disappeared from the fitting room leaving Stephanie standing alone. She waited a few minutes before grabbing the merchandise she brought in and left the room. She bought a couple of pairs of the long pants just so she could carry a pink bag out of the store. She knew Nicole expected her to buy something for her husband, but Stephanie refused to buy sexy underwear. There was only one man she wanted to buy those for, and it sure as hell wasn't Luciano Sanchez.

Nicole was waiting for her at the front of the store when she got done paying for her pants. The other woman smiled big when she saw the size of Stephanie's bag. "I can imagine the sexy things you have in there for Luciano. He's a lucky man you know!" Stephanie just smiled and politely nodded to the other woman.

The rest of the day, Stephanie felt the guys watching her, but she never saw any of them. Her neck tingled off and on throughout the mall. It gave her comfort knowing Ranger was close by and helped to calm her racing heart. She wanted nothing more than to find him and run to him, but she knew that if she did it would be handing out a death sentence for their son.

When Stephanie returned to the house that night, Luciano was waiting for her at the front door. Paul opened the car door and helped her out. Her hands were full of the shopping bags, but Luciano stopped her from walking very far.

"Paul, take my wife's things to her room. She and I need to have a discussion." Paul shot Stephanie a look, but obeyed his boss and took the bags to her room. He knew what was coming and hated that he had to stand back and let it.

Luciano led Stephanie to his office and closed the door behind them. She could feel the anger rolling off the man and knew what was going to happen, but she didn't know how to stop it. Stephanie watched him walk to his desk and snort some more powder up his nose before he turned back to her. He stared at her for a minute through narrowed eyes then stalked forward angrily. "What have I told you? What is the one RULE that I warned you never to break?" Stephanie didn't know what he was talking about. She didn't know if this was the man who knew she wasn't really his wife or if he was the delusional man that she left earlier that day. Either way, it didn't look good for her.

"I...I don't know. Why are you so angry?" Stephanie decided to act stupid. Maybe he'd believe her. The slap across the face she received right after she spoke told her she was wrong.

"I warned you what would happen if you defied me and yet you still thought you could get away with it. The disrespect you showed me this morning will not be tolerated, Malena." He slapped her again and Stephanie realized what he was talking about. She refused to let him kiss her and this was her punishment for that.

"I'm sorry." Stephanie whimpered and held her palm to her stinging cheek as tears formed in her eyes. She valiantly held them back from falling because tears would only mean more pain.

"Sorry is not going to cut it this time." Luciano forcefully grabbed her chin between his fingers and brutally kissed her lips. The pain made Stephanie whimper and that sound only encouraged him more. When he pulled away, he sneered at her. "That's better. Go to your room and I'll come for you later." He released Stephanie's arms and she stumbled back a few steps. She fled quickly out of his office and straight to her suite.

She didn't know what he meant when he said he'd come for her later. The entire time she'd been with him, he never once tried to start anything sexual with her. That's why Katrina was in the house, but there was something different about the way he looked at her tonight. It made her sick and panicky at the same time. She refused to let him touch her in that way, and Stephanie vowed to fight to the death if he even tried.

####

Back in the hotel room, the guys gathered together after spending the afternoon at the mall. Each man was close to her at one point or another, but no one except Hector and Rodriguez approached her. They spent the next two hours going over what they learned from Stephanie and what was going to happen the next day.

Ranger agreed to send Hector to the house as a party planner. It would give them an inside man, other than Paul, to scope things out before the party. He didn't want to ask Paul to give him information because he really wanted him to stick close to Stephanie. He was an ally on the inside and Ranger wanted to be able to keep him there.

Hector wasn't too thrilled about being asked to go undercover in drag, but he knew it needed to be done and he was willing to do anything to get Stephanie back. He did some shopping at the mall while he was there, so that he had some outfits for the next few days. If he was going drag, he was going to look damn good.

After finding out about Luciano's birthday party, the guys knew their timeframe. The party was five days away and they had some major planning to do. They all settled in and got busy with their individual assignments. When it got to be late, Ranger dismissed everyone to their rooms to get some sleep. Before leaving the room, Rodriguez pulled Ranger aside to give him the private message from Stephanie.

"Bossman, you got a minute?" Ranger walked over to the corner with Rodriguez and raised an eyebrow. "Stephanie asked me to pass on a message to you. She said that she loves you and cannot wait to be in your arms again." Ranger smiled slightly and nodded. He could tell there was something else bothering the man in front of him.

"Anything else?" Rodriguez looked at his boss and friend and decided to ask for the assignment that he wanted.

"Stephanie asked me a favor and I hope I can honor it. She asked me to be the one to get CJ out the night of the extraction. She told me that no matter what happens to her, she wants her son out first because they've threatened to hurt him." Ranger's heart ached thinking about something happening to his son before he ever got to hold him.

Ranger smiled as he looked at Rodriguez. "She calls him CJ?"

Dante was taken aback by Ranger's question until he realized that he didn't know anything about his own son. Rodriguez smiled and nodded. "I guess so. That's what she called him this afternoon."

Ranger smiled again and even though Ranger could see the determination in his employee, he still had to ask an important question. "Can you handle that assignment? Can you follow orders and work with the team to get CJ out safely?"

It didn't even take Dante a second of deliberation. He smiled at his boss and responded. "Abso-fucking-lutely. I will give up my life protecting that kid." Ranger smiled and smacked him on the back.

"Then that job is yours, I trust that you'll do everything you can to get BOTH of you out safely." After Dante smiled and nodded, Ranger walked away quietly and headed into his room. He needed some time to think and he needed it to be totally quiet and away from the others in order to do it.

Seeing Stephanie and being so close to her that day pushed every ounce of control that he had in him. When he saw her in Bloomingdales, he wanted to take her into his arms and never let her go. He wanted to protect her from everything that could happen to her. He was worried about the fact that Luciano was using his drugs. Men on cocaine were unpredictable and paranoid. He knew Stephanie going back to that house was a bad idea, but they honestly had no choice.

A gentle knock on Ranger's door interrupted his thoughts. He got up to answer it and saw Tank standing on the other side. He hadn't really spoken to his friend since he arrived in LA. They kept conversations between them strictly business, but Ranger knew from the look on Tank's face that whatever he needed to say was important.

"Mind if I speak to you for a second?" Ranger stepped aside and silently let Tank into his room.

When the door closed, Ranger barked out, "Talk," because he wasn't in the mood for bullshit and was still a little angry with his second in command. Even though he understood why Tank did what he did, Ranger was still a little resentful.

Tank let out a sigh and uncharacteristically ran his hand over his bald head. "Look Carlos, I owe you a huge apology. If I hadn't of made you stop looking..." Ranger held up his hand. Tank stopped talking and looked at him with regret filled eyes. Ranger could see how guilty Tank was and seeing it made his anger disappear.

"You had to stop me. It was unhealthy. I don't blame you for any of this." Ranger turned and sat down in an overstuffed chair. Tank followed and sat next to him.

"I blame myself! Everything that she's been through the past six months, I blame myself for. I blame myself for you not being there for your son's birth. I blame myself for every second of abuse she's lived through. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I need to know that you can work with me. I want to be here. Hell...I need to be here. I need to do whatever I can to get Little Girl and your son out of this situation." Tank hung his head and Ranger could see the pain his friend was going through.

"Pierre...I don't blame you and neither will Stephanie. You need to stop blaming yourself because I need you at full mental health. I need my right hand man to get me through this. I need you and so do Stephanie and CJ. Together, we will get them out." Ranger put his hand on Tank's shoulder and squeezed. "Can you shelve the guilt until we're done with this? You and I can do some mat time once we get back to Trenton to help you work it out more, but for now...put it aside."

Tank nodded and looked up at Ranger. "I'll let Stephanie kick my ass when we get back to Trenton." Ranger laughed out loud picturing little Stephanie kicking Tank's ass. Before the explosion, he knew she could have done it because of the training Tank and his men had given her.

"CJ, huh? I guess Carlos Joaquin was too much of a name for such a little guy." Ranger laughed at Tank's suggestion. He didn't know why Stephanie chose to call the baby CJ, but he secretly liked it. "I suppose it's a good name. Besides, we only need ONE Carlos running around RangeMan."

After laughing at Tank's jab, the two men spent some time talking about the operation and what they thought could possibly go wrong. They had every possible outcome planned for and were able to call it a night. Ranger fell into a restless sleep, but he was used to that. He hadn't slept well since the night of the explosion. He wouldn't really sleep until his Babe was back in his arms.

####

Stephanie didn't sleep that night. The threat that Luciano would see her later kept her wide awake all throughout the night. Luckily, though, he never came. She crawled out of bed at her normal time and then was escorted by Paul to the dining room for breakfast. Luciano and Katrina were both at the table talking when she walked in.

They both glared at Stephanie as she took her seat at the table, but she kept her cool and fixed her plate like normal. She kept her head down as she ate and didn't take part in the conversation between the others at the table. She remembered that Hector was going to be stopping by later that day, so she decided to tell her husband.

"I'm expecting a party planner to stop by the house around two. I spoke to her yesterday and she agreed to help me on short notice. I want your birthday to be great and I need some help." Stephanie watched for a reaction from Luciano, but saw none. She expected him to answer her but Katrina was the one to speak first.

"I should have known you couldn't handle one simple task like planning a party. You are nothing like my sister. You're a poor excuse..." Katrina's words were cut off by Luciano's fist connecting with her jaw. She fell out of the chair and started whimpering.

"You will not speak to my wife like that. I don't care if you don't like her, she deserves your respect. Got it?" Katrina whimpered her agreement and then excused herself from the dining room. Stephanie could see the tears in her eyes and felt for the young woman. "I'm sorry she spoke to you like that, Malena. I'm glad you asked for help. I hate it when you fatigue yourself."

Stephanie watched as Luciano walked toward her and kneeled on the floor in front of her. "I'm looking forward to my party and I hope that you'll give me a special present that night." Luciano brushed the hair out of Stephanie's face and then trailed his finger down her jaw. "I hope you'll allow me back into your bed. I know I've lost your trust, but I hope you'll soon forgive me. I miss you, Malena. I miss you so much." Luciano buried his head into Stephanie's lap and she felt him shudder. Stephanie didn't know what to do, so after the shock wore off, she began to absent-mindedly stroke his hair.

His sudden changes in personality were frightening her and she had no idea how to deal with them. She knew there was no way in hell that she was going to welcome him into her bed. There was only one man who got that privilege, and it wasn't Luciano Sanchez.

"We'll see how the party goes, Dear." Stephanie was shocked when Luciano picked his head up out of her lap and smiled at her. It was the first genuine smile that he'd ever used with her and it made her spidey sense tingle, frantically.

"The party will be great because you're planning it. I plan on having about twenty additional armed men around the house that day. The planner does not need to know that, but I felt you should be aware. There will be eyes watching everything." Luciano stood and bent down to give Stephanie a quick kiss before walking out of the dining room.

Hours later, Stephanie was waiting anxiously for Hector's arrival. She'd been forced to stay in her room all morning because Luciano was having meetings with his 'men' from Columbia and he didn't want her involved in that business. Not that she had any desire to get involved in that stuff anyway.

Right after two o'clock, Luciano came to her room to inform her that his business meetings were over and that her guest was on the back porch waiting for her. Stephanie smiled politely at him as she walked out her door. Paul was right behind her, just like he was supposed to be.

Stephanie smiled to herself when she walked outside and saw Hector, or Pilar Martinez, as he was called undercover. Hector was wearing a gorgeous pant suit and the wig on his head was long and black. Hector made an attractive woman, Stephanie thought as she approached him, and even had some of the guards checking him out.

"Don't even say it, Angelita. I will not be doing this again!" Stephanie giggled and they got busy planning the party. Stephanie showed Hector the parts of the house that would be open to guests for the party and explained a little about what she wanted. Hector knew he could fake throwing something together. No one would remember the party anyway, so it didn't really matter.

Stephanie also told Hector about Luciano's plans for additional guards. She didn't know where they would be placed, but Hector knew enough to guess where he thought they'd be stationed, so he could report the placements to Ranger later that night.

Right before they finished talking, Katrina brought CJ to Stephanie. She looked pissed to even be bothered and her jaw was an ugly shade of purple. "Take this brat. I need to go to the store and Luciano is busy." She practically threw the baby into Stephanie's arms and stormed off out the side gate.

Stephanie instantly cradled her sweet baby boy in her arms. He was fussing, so she did what she could to quiet him down. Hector watched with a gleam in his eye. "He's beautiful, Angelita. He looks just like his father." Stephanie agreed that he did look a lot like Ranger, but unfortunately he had inherited some of her wild hair genes.

"Thank you. He's the only thing that's kept me going." Hector understood and smiled at her. After cradling the baby for a few minutes, Stephanie turned her gaze back to Hector. "We've only got a few days until this party. Do you think we can pull this off?"

Hector understood that she was asking about the operation more than the party. He smiled and nodded. "You bet your sweet ass we can pull this off! Don't worry about it. We're professionals." Hector winked at her and seeing it made Stephanie giggle.

"Why don't I show you the nursery? I need to put this little guy down for a nap." They stood together and walked back into the house. Paul followed them but didn't really bother watching. He wasn't worried that the man in drag would hurt Stephanie.

Leading Hector to the wing that held the nursery, she watched him memorize every turn and every angle. Knowing Dante was in charge of getting CJ out that he would be well-informed, made Stephanie happy and helped her relax a little more.

Before they got to the nursery, Luciano's voice stopped them from going any further. "I told you that there were to be no unauthorized people in this wing." Stephanie cringed at his anger and looked at Hector with fear filled eyes.

"I'm sorry. I was just putting Luc to bed and discussing the party with Pilar. I didn't think it would be a problem." Stephanie clutched the baby to her chest, making him as small as possible. She would do anything to protect him.

Luciano turned to Paul. "Please escort our guest out. My wife will contact her tomorrow to go over any further details she needs." Paul nodded and placed his hand at the small of Hector's back. Hector tensed seeing the anger and the rage coming from Luciano. He did not want to leave Stephanie there with that madman.

It took every ounce of control for Hector to allow himself to be walked away from Stephanie. He heard her screams before he walked out the door and Paul leaned down to whisper into his ear.

"I'll do whatever I can to protect her. She'll be fine. She's strong." Hector looked at the other man and nodded before walking calmly to his car. He must have become a damn good actor, because Hector felt anything but calm at that minute.

* * *

A/N - I know you all were excited about a big reunited scene, but it's not time for that yet. I didn't think once Ranger had her in his arms, he was going to be able to let her go. Their time is coming and I promise that you won't be disappointed.

Don't forget to take a few and tell me what you thought of the chapter. Good, bad, ugly...loved it/hated it. I don't care. Your reviews feed my muse! :D


	23. Needed Strength

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you to all my reviewers! I am still blow away by the response to his story. I'm over 600 reviews and we're not done yet! Keep them coming because they are what feeds my soul!

Potterwench, hugs and a giant kiss because you're amazing. Couldn't do this without you! Love ya!

* * *

**Chapter 23 - Needed Strength**

Stephanie knew the minute she heard Luciano's voice that she was in trouble. She knew before ever asking Hector to that wing that she was breaking the rules, but she wanted him to get an idea of where CJ would be. She weighed the benefits to risks ratio and realized she wanted the guys to have every bit of information they could get about the interior of the house and if that meant she would have to face Luciano's wrath, then it would be worth it.

Stephanie watched in sadness as Hector and Paul walked down the hallway leaving her alone with an angry and probably high Luciano. She knew it took every bit of control in Hector to walk away, but it had to be done. She was scared shitless, but she refused to show that fear to Luciano. As soon as Hector and Paul turned the corner, he ripped the baby out of her arms and carried him further into the nursery. After placing CJ gently into the crib, Luciano turned back to Stephanie with a look of rage covering his face.

"How dare you disobey me? You know the penalties for not following my orders." He reached out and grabbed her hair, twisting it painfully. Stephanie let out a whimper. "You brought a stranger into our son's room. How stupid are you? Do you realize what could have happened?" Luciano pulled her head back by her hair causing Stephanie to scream at the pain coursing through her scalp. Tears fell from her eyes, but they only made him angrier.

His fist made contact with her ribs and the punch took her breath away. He hit her a few more times before letting her slump down to the floor. He never punched her where it would show and made sure to only strike her where the bruises would be covered with her clothes. If he wanted to slap her in the face, he made sure to pull the hit enough so that it wouldn't leave a mark. Luciano glared down at Stephanie on the floor for several seconds before stalking out of the room.

Stephanie curled up into a ball and cried all the fear and pain out. Her body ached and she was trembling in fear. She didn't want Luciano to come back, so she tried to be as quiet as possible. She didn't think she'd be able to take any more of his punishments today. Stephanie tensed when she felt another person step into the room, but calmed herself when she heard his voice.

"It's okay, Bomber, I'm not going to hurt you." Paul started calling her the Merry Men's pet name after talking with the guys in the hotel. He only used it when no one else was around and always low enough so no one else could hear.

Stephanie whimpered as he helped her up. She looked down at her sleeping baby and even though it hurt beyond belief, she bent down to place a kiss on his little head before letting Paul help her sit down in the nearby rocking chair. She wasn't ready to walk away from her son and Paul understood her desire to be alone, so he took up guard outside the nursery door. He had made a promise to Hector, Hal and the rest of the guys. He would do everything in his power to keep this woman and her child safe.

####

After Hector left the house, rage coursed through his veins like liquid fire. He wanted to kill. He wanted to turn around and kill the son of a bitch who made Stephanie scream, but he knew that he'd be putting her life in danger along with her son's. That was something he wasn't willing to do. So, instead of going back to the house, Hector drove to the hotel to inform the rest of the guys about what he saw and heard. He was not looking forward to telling Ranger about what sounds he heard as he walked out of the house.

####

Ranger stalked around the hotel room, anxiously awaiting Hector's return. He needed to know Stephanie was okay and he needed to know if Hector saw his son. Ranger had so many questions to ask Hector, but changed his mind the moment he saw the man walk through the hotel door.

Every man in the room was on high alert seeing the rage on Hector's face. He was still dressed in drag, but that didn't make him any less intimidating. It actually made him more so. All the men gave him a wide berth as Hector stalked into the bedroom to change and to cool off. After his report, Hector intended to go out and find someone's ass to kick.

Half an hour later, Hector stalked back out of the bedroom dressed as his normal self, still seething, the anger radiating off him in waves. Hector grabbed a beer out of the small fridge and downed it without taking a breath. He looked at all the guys and then spoke for the first time since walking into the room. "We need to get her out soon. I don't want to wait for the party." Multiple eyebrows shot up around the room, but Hector ignored them and continued talking in a deadly calm voice. "That pendejo got mad that she showed me baby's room and he hurt her. I heard her screams as I walked out the front door." Hector got quiet again as the fire once again coursed through his veins.

"The party is our best shot of getting them both out safely. I know it's hard, but we need to wait." Tank tried to reason with Hector, but it wasn't doing any good. Hector eyed Ranger next.

"You will let your woman stay in that house and be hurt by that man? You want to wait too?" Ranger let out a long sigh and then ran his hand through his hair. The answer was NO! Carlos, the man, wanted to join Hector, rush in, and rescue his family. Ranger, the soldier, knew that he'd developed a plan of attack for a reason and the safest option was to wait.

"I will do what keeps Stephanie and my son the safest. You've seen the inside of the house and the placement of the guards. Can you honestly tell me that we could get inside and get both of them out before something happened?" Ranger looked hard at Hector. He trusted the man and if Hector said that it could be done that night, he wouldn't hesitate to rush in and get them.

Hector thought for several minutes. He went through every possible scenario and the men standing around him could see the internal struggle battling inside the smaller man. He finally figured out what Ranger already knew and gave his answer. "No, it can't be done safely." He hung his head in defeat and collapsed into a nearby chair.

"I still don't like it one fucking bit, but there's nothing left for us to do besides wait." Ranger nodded and took a seat across from Hector. "Tell us about the inside of the house."

For the next two hours, Hector and the guys went over the layout of the house and grounds. Hector pinpointed the 'public areas' and the areas that were off limits. He also gave as much detail as he could to where the nursery was in correlation to everything else. Dante paid extra close attention to those details. He was the one who needed them the most.

Hector also pointed out the possible placements of the extra guards the night of the party. As paranoid as Luciano seemed to be, Ranger knew that there would probably be some hidden guys that they were not aware of hiding around some corners. It's what he'd do if he was in Luciano's shoes.

The days leading up to the party were torturous for Ranger and the Merry Men. There wasn't anything they could do to speed the hours along, so they spent them planning and going over every angle of the operation. They left no room for mistakes and made sure every contingency plan was covered. Each man had their individual assignments and each man knew exactly what they had to do. They spent time mentally preparing themselves for the most important operation of their lives.

Ranger spent his free time watching the house. If he wasn't at the hotel going over plans, he was hiding in the bushes watching for his Babe. His favorite time of day was when his Babe and son came out onto the back patio in the evenings. For a few hours he got to watch them, and it was during that time that Ranger got to pretend that he was right there with them.

A few days before the party, Ranger was staked out in his normal spot watching and listening for his Babe. It was later in the evening than normal when she finally walked out of the house carrying CJ. Ranger had begun to worry, but relaxed when he finally saw her smiling face. She took a seat in one of the chairs and turned the baby around in her arms.

She started talking almost instantly. "Your daddy is out there Little Man. He's watching us right now. It won't be long until we're back together with him." Ranger smiled when he heard CJ laughing at Stephanie's words. "You're going to love your daddy as much as I do and I know he's going to love you. You look just like him..."

Ranger tensed when Stephanie's words dropped off. Her head turned and Ranger followed her gaze to see Luciano walk onto the patio. He was smiling brightly at Stephanie and when he got to the lounge chair she was in, he sat her up and squeezed behind her. He then situated her back, so she was nestled comfortably between his legs. Ranger growled when the other man's arms wrapped around her and his lips met the skin on the back of her neck.

"How are you Malena and how is my little guy today?" Stephanie was speechless. Luciano sometimes had a few moments where it was almost like he fully believed Stephanie was his dead wife. The tender way he was talking to her right then and his gentle kisses on her exposed flesh were sickening to her and they terrified her more than anything. She preferred him angry and abusive.

"We're good. How has your day been, Luciano?" Generic conversation, but Stephanie didn't know what else to say. She didn't want to cause him to revert back to the asshole when CJ was so close.

"My day has been filled with business meetings and phone calls. You know how these things are." Luciano sighed heavily and rested his chin on Stephanie's shoulder, so he could look at the baby in her arms. "But I don't want to talk about business. I need to hold my wife in my arms for a few minutes. This is the highlight of my day."

Ranger watched from his perch on the hill as Luciano nuzzled Stephanie's neck. He could hear everything the man said and most of it made his skin crawl. "You know how much I love you, Malena. Oh, God how I love you. I miss you so much. I can't wait until Tuesday, mi bella esposa." Stephanie shuddered at his words and at the touch of his lips to her jaw.

She thought she knew the answer to the question, but she had to ask anyway. "Oh yeah? What happens on Tuesday?" Luciano chuckled as he nestled her neck and his hands wandered up and down her arms, tenderly.

"You finally return to me, my Love. I know you'll come to my bed that night because that's what I'll wish for when I blow out the candles on my birthday cake. I've held off, letting you get adjusted after Luc was born...but Tuesday I will wait no longer. I need you so much, Baby." Luciano's hands were stroking up and down Stephanie's arms and his lips were caressing her jaw line in between words. "Please don't deny me this, Malena."

Stephanie froze when his hands traveled down her stomach and rested in between her legs. She wanted to vomit or cry, but she sat there patiently waiting for him to remove them from her. Since she'd walked out onto the patio, she'd felt the tingle so she knew Ranger was there, watching. She hated that he had to witness this humiliation.

After several silent minutes of Luciano feeling up his Babe, Ranger was ready to pull out his gun and shoot him on the spot. He hated that she had to live through that. He hated that he couldn't do anything to protect her. All he could do was watch and wait.

Stephanie realized that she'd been silent for too long. Luciano's hands remained between her legs and she was cautiously trying to think of a way to remove them without causing alarm. Finally, she had an idea.

She adjusted the baby in her lap and turned slightly, so she could look at the man sitting behind her. His hands were forced out of their disgusting position and he placed them limply beside him on the chair.

"Since Tuesday is your party, I was thinking I needed a new dress. Would you mind if I went shopping tomorrow? You could send your bodyguard with me and I won't be gone long." Luciano smiled at her and kissed her gently on the tip of the nose.

"You don't have to ask permission to leave, my Love. You're free to come and go as you wish. Take Paul and enjoy yourself. Just be sure to pick me out a little something from Victoria's Secret. You know how much I like their apparel." Luciano wiggled his eye brows suggestively and Stephanie had to hold back the vomit again.

"Thank you Luc. I'll be sure to pick you up something special." Yeah, like a gun to shoot your dick off with, Stephanie thought as she smiled at him.

Luckily, Luciano had an important phone call so he stood up off the lounge chair. He placed a kiss on the baby's head and then bruised Stephanie's lips with a brutal kiss before walking back into the house. Tears filled Stephanie's eyes as she watched his retreating back.

Soon after Luciano went inside, Katrina showed up to take the baby from Stephanie. With a sneer and few hateful words, the woman took CJ inside and left Stephanie crying on the patio. She hated that her son was always being taken from her. She wanted to do nothing more than to hold him close and never let him go.

Stephanie started thinking about the party and about how perfect everything needed to be. One mistake and it could all go wrong. She began to cry harder and looked out into the distance where she knew he was watching. "Ranger, I know you can hear me. I need your strength to get through this. I need you to tell me that it's all going to be okay. I need to hear your voice, if only for a second. Please."

Ranger heard her whispered plea and that, along with the tears he watched fall from her eyes, broke his heart. God, how he wanted to rush in there and pull her into his arms, he wanted to do so many things, but none of them were safe for her or for the baby. Any hint of a problem and he knew both of them would be killed. It was a chance he wasn't willing to take.

He watched until Stephanie stood up off the chair and walked back inside. He knew she was in for the night, so he packed up the equipment and headed back to the hotel. Hector and Rodriguez were going to need to contact Stephanie the next day while she was out and he needed to do something special for her. She needed him and he wasn't going to let her down.

####

The next afternoon, Stephanie and Paul were shopping at Bloomingdale's for a dress for the party when she felt the tingle on her neck. Stephanie's heart skyrocketed realizing that Ranger was there. No one had made contact yet, but she knew the guys were close. She picked out four dresses that she wanted to try on and took them back to the fitting area. She did a double take as Hector winked at her from behind the desk. He was dressed in drag again, but this time he was a platinum blonde with huge boobs. She giggled and shook her head as he showed her to a back fitting room.

"Take your time. I make sure you are left alone, Angelita." Hector whispered as he unlocked the door for her. Stephanie smiled at him and nodded and walked into the fitting room.

She was alone in the room waiting patiently when there was a gentle tap on the door. She opened it and smiled as Dante stepped inside. He pulled her into his arms again and held her tight. It wasn't the arms she needed, but they'd have to do for now.

Rodriguez felt her tears soak through his shirt as he held her. He knew she was close to the edge and he was worried about her state of mind. "Dulzura, look at me." He pulled her back and wiped the tears off her face. "Remember when you were training and you wanted to give up because you didn't think you could do it?" Stephanie nodded and sniffled. She tried to control her tears, but she couldn't.

"I told you then that you are stronger than you give yourself credit for. You can do this, Stephanie. We've got everything worked out on our end. I'm going to get your son out. Trust me when I tell you that nothing will happen to him." Stephanie nodded and cried harder. She trusted Dante, but she was still scared. "Les, Bobby, Hal and Cal are going to be dressed as waiters at the party. They'll be mingling around with the guests. Don't react to their presence."

Thinking about Cal and Hal in the waiter outfits made Stephanie giggle slightly. They were both huge and looked nothing like waiters. "Hector is going to be there dressed as Pilar. Ranger and Tank are actually going to the party as guests." Stephanie's eyes got wide and her mouth fell open. "Don't ask how they managed to get invitations. I swear Ranger has more contacts than God." Rodriguez laughed and shook his head.

"Junior is going to be waiting in the vehicle for me and CJ. Once the baby is safely off site, Ranger is going to give the command to go. I want you to pay attention to what I have to say now, can you do that?" Stephanie dried her tears and nodded. "Tank is going to fake a seizure. Ranger is going to be a doctor who will insist Luciano take Tank into the house for treatment. Once the three go inside, I want you to head to the front door and walk out. The guards will be on distracted and watching for an outside attack or helping corral the guests in the back, so they won't be worried about you. Can you do that?"

Stephanie thought about it for a minute and nodded her head. "Good girl. Once you're outside, I want you to run to the end of the driveway. Hector will be there waiting in a van and he'll take you to the hotel where your son will be waiting. Any questions?"

"N...no." Stephanie stuttered. Then something hit her. "Wait! What about the rest of you guys? How are you going to get out?" Rodriguez smiled at her and tucked a blonde piece of hair behind her ear.

"Don't worry about us. We've gotten ourselves out of more dangerous situations. The guards that Luciano hired are amateurs." Stephanie felt a little better, but she was still worried about all the 'what ifs' that could happen.

"Just make sure you all get out too. I can't lose any of you now that I got you back!" Dante hugged Stephanie and tried to calm her, but it wasn't working. He could still feel her trembling in his arms.

"I have something for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded envelope. He unfolded it and handed it to her. She recognized Ranger's handwriting immediately and her heart sped up when she saw 'Babe' written on the front. "He said you can read it now or take it back with you. Whichever you're comfortable with."

Stephanie stared at the letter and as much as she wanted to take it with her, she knew it would be too dangerous. "Will you give me a few minutes? I need to read this and give it back to you." Rodriguez nodded and kissed her forehead before leaving her alone in the fitting room. With tears in her eyes, Stephanie opened the letter and pulled out the single piece of paper. She read his words as the tears fell.

_My Dearest Babe,_

_You have no idea how good it feels to be able to write those words and know that you'll read them. I never thought I would be able to say those words again. When I lost you, Babe, my world ended. Now, I'm not only getting you back, I'm getting an amazing son, too. Watching you two together the past few days has been such a blessing. I can't wait to see you both and to hold you both in my arms. Tuesday can't come fast enough._

_I heard you tonight, Babe, asking for my strength and I would love nothing more than to rush into that tiny room and take you into my arms. The problem is that once you're there, I have no intention of ever letting you out. We both know that you have to go back and you have to act normal until Tuesday. This letter was the best way for me to give you my strength and let you hear my voice that you so desperately needed._

_I have no doubt in the world, Babe that you're going to get through this. You're going to be amazing and you're going to survive this. I would never do anything to put you or our son in harm's way so please trust me that I have everything under control. If things go bad, look for me and I will protect you. I just got you back and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you next to me for the rest of eternity._

_We will have our forever, Babe. We're going to get married and have more babies and we're going to live out the rest of our lives happy and together. That's a promise and I never break my promises. I love you so much, Stephanie Plum and I am so proud that you've stayed sane for so long. You just have a little longer left, my Love. Don't give up yet._

_All my love,_

_Carlos_

Stephanie read and re-read the letter three times before she got an idea. She took out a pen and turned the letter over and scribbled a short note on the back.

_Dear Carlos,_

_You always know what to say to me to give me the courage to go on. I felt your strength and heard your voice. I will hold on because there's a promise of being in your arms again once all this is over. I will hold on because I want to marry you and I want to have more babies with you. I will hold on because I know that you and our son need me. I love you so much, Carlos, and I cannot wait to be in your arms again and once I'm there, I'm not leaving any time soon. You're stuck with me forever!_

_I love you,_

_Babe_

Stephanie took out a picture from her purse and placed it in the envelope along with the letter. She and CJ had portraits taken at the house about a month ago and she gave Ranger a picture of her and the baby lying together on the bed. It was her favorite picture, and she knew he'd love it too. CJ slept peacefully on the fluffy white comforter while Stephanie looked down at him sleeping. The photographer turned the shot black and white which only added to its charm. Stephanie placed a kiss on the envelope and waited for her partner to return.

Rodriguez came back a few minutes later and smiled at her gently when he saw the fresh tears on her face. "You okay, Dulzura?" Stephanie smile back and nodded.

"Give this to Ranger, please. I left him a little something in there so be sure he knows to open it." Rodriguez smiled at her and nodded. "I'm ready for Tuesday, Dante. I'm ready and I won't let you guys down."

Rodriguez noticed her determined stature and intense look on her face. He hugged her close to whisper in her ear. "There's the Stephanie Plum that I remember and love. Welcome back, Dulzura."

"Thank you, Dante." She kissed him gently and then stepped away from him and glanced at her watch. She still needed to pick a dress for Tuesday and time was running out. Not that she cared what she looked like, but Luciano would want her to look good for his guests.

Rodriguez knew his time was up once again and turned to head out the door. He stopped right after he opened it and turned back around to look at Stephanie. "See you Tuesday!" She smiled at his wink and smirk as Rodriguez closed the door silently behind him. Once again, Stephanie was left alone, but this time she had Ranger's words coursing through her mind and heart to give her the strength she so desperately needed to go on.

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A/N - Another one down! Now we know the plan for the rescue, how many think it will actually go off without problems? And how do you think Ranger's going to be a guest of the party? Hmmm...questions. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out. Don't forget to leave me some love! : D


	24. Showtime

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

You readers are awesome! I love reading your reviews. They make my day and make me giggle. I love that you all are so invested in this story. Please keep the reviews coming. They feed my muse and my soul.

My amazing beta, Potterwench, deserves a tremendous THANK YOU! She's devoted countless hours to fixing my mistakes. Thanks girl! I couldn't do this without you.

* * *

**Chapter 24 - Showtime**

Early morning light filtered into Stephanie's bedroom and fell onto her slim frame lying on the bed. The morning of the party dawned early and Stephanie hadn't slept much the night before. She had too many thoughts running through her head and as much as she tried; she could not trample down the feeling of anxiety fluttering in her heart. So much was at stake that night, and she was afraid that something would go wrong.

After an early breakfast, the house became a bustling mass of chaos. The extra guards were at the house early to get briefed and get their positions, the party people who Hector hired were also there setting up and getting things ready. Stephanie didn't know where he found them on such short notice nor did she care. She suspected that they were more than just your average catering staff. All of them looked ready to kill Luciano and a few winked at her as they bustled by. They looked and acted professional, though, so Luciano didn't suspect a thing. He was too busy snorting cocaine to pay attention to the help.

Once the guards were in place and the catering and decoration crews were busy on the back patio, Stephanie decided to spend some time with CJ. Her heart was still full of anxiety and fear, so she wanted to draw some strength from her son. He was half Ranger, after all, and had the same effect on Stephanie that his father did. Katrina was thankful to get a break from the baby, so Stephanie was alone in the nursery with her son.

"Baby boy...I need you to know something." Stephanie turned CJ around and smiled at his sweet baby face. "I need you to know that if something happens to me, you need to always remember how much I love you. I fell in love with you the minute I learned that you were growing inside me. The first time I felt you move, I cried for an hour. The day you were born is still the happiest day of my life. You're my life and I need you to always remember that." CJ wasn't paying attention to her words. His little hands were pulling at her blonde hair.

Stephanie let out a sigh and snuggled with her son. She quietly hummed or sang to him until he was sleeping soundly in her arms. She glanced at the clock on the wall and knew that she needed to get busy getting ready for the night, but she didn't want to let him go. She waited until the last possible minute to quietly stand up and place the sleeping baby in the crib. She'd heard Katrina come back into the room hours ago, but she ignored the nanny. Katrina was the furthest thing from Stephanie's mind right then.

"Sleep well, precious boy. I'll see you later. Mommy loves you." Stephanie felt a tear fall from her eye as she walked out of the nursery. Numbly, she made her way back toward her wing of the house. She wanted to be alone for a bit before going to the party. She wanted to cry and didn't really want an audience. Stephanie was surprised to see Paul waiting for her in her room. He could see the tears on her face and once her door closed behind her, he opened his arms and welcomed her into them.

Even though she wanted to be alone, seeing Paul standing there with open arms triggered something inside of her. Stephanie, seeking comfort from someone, walked willingly to Paul and let his warmth surround her. He was almost like her own personal Merry Man and she desperately needed someone to tell her it was going to be okay. Without speaking, Stephanie buried her face into this chest and cried out all her fears and anxiety.

After several minutes, Stephanie got her tears under control and she picked up her head to look at him. "Thank you! I guess I needed that." Paul nodded and stepped back. He looked at the woman standing in front of him intently.

"You know everything is going to be fine tonight, right? The guys have planned for everything possible scenario. They've worked out every contingency. They're well prepared and so am I." Stephanie knew he was telling her the truth from the determined and intense look on his face. Ranger never did anything half-assed so she knew everything was planned out perfectly. The problem was, plans never worked out around her. Paul read her thoughts and smiled. "Ranger's even planned for the Bomber curve. He's expecting something to go wrong and he's prepared."

Stephanie sniffed back some tears and nodded. She knew she needed to relax or she'd be the one messing things up. Luciano couldn't think anything was wrong or really bad things would happen. Stephanie knew she needed to act normal or she'd be putting her son's life in danger. Straightening her spine she angrily swiped the tears off her face. "I can do this, Paul." The giant man standing in front of her gave her a bright smile. "I'm going to get ready and I'm going to remember everything Dante told me. I'm ready to get the hell out of this house!"

Looking up into his eyes, Stephanie reached her hand up and cupped his smooth cheek. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. I always felt safe with you and now that I know you are related to Hal, I understand why. I hope I'll see you again after I leave here."

Paul smiled down at her. "You don't have to thank me. It's been a pleasure guarding you, Steph, and don't worry about tonight. You're going to get out of here and you and CJ are going to be reunited with Ranger and your guys. I'll be fine. I'm sure you'll see me again." Stephanie smiled and hugged Paul again. He left her room a few minutes later after giving her a kiss on the forehead and a few more encouraging words. Stephanie let out a long sigh after Paul left and started getting ready for the party. She had to pretend to be the hostess for this ridiculous party, so she needed to be at least be presentable.

Hours later, Stephanie was dressed and coiffed to perfection. She pinned her hair up off her neck, just like Luciano liked it and the dress she bought was black and fit her like a glove. She didn't think it was sexy, but it was elegant and flirty enough for an LA party. Stephanie took one last look around the room before walking out the door. It had been her home for the past year and hopefully after tonight, she'd never have to see it again.

Luciano was waiting for Stephanie in his office. Some of the guests had already started to arrive and were mingling on the back porch where the majority of the party was being held. Stephanie knew Luciano wanted them to make their entrance to the party as a couple, so she knocked lightly on his door before entering. Luciano was standing behind his desk, sniffing some white powder up his nose. Fuck, Stephanie thought. She hoped Luciano being high as a kite and unpredictable was in one of the contingency plans Ranger had planned for.

"Ah, my darling wife," Luciano gushed and rushed toward her. He kissed Stephanie on each cheek and then gave her a peck on the lips. "You look gorgeous as always. Are you ready to join the party?"

"Thank you. Yes, I'm ready." Stephanie smiled at the man and turned toward the door, but was stopped by a hand on her arm.

"I will call for Luciano Jr. Katrina can bring him here and we'll all join in the festivities as a family." Stephanie's breath caught in her throat. Luciano never let the baby mingle with people. CJ was always kept in the nursery with Katrina when there were functions at that house.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean...he's so little." Stephanie struggled to come up with a good reason about why CJ should stay inside, but Luciano was already calling Katrina. He ordered her to bring the baby to the office and then hung up. His grip tightened on Stephanie's arm.

"I never do anything that I'm not sure about. I want MY son with us at the party. YOU will stay with him at all times! Do I make myself clear?" Stephanie whimpered and nodded. Luciano released his hold and then caressed her face lovingly. "I cannot wait until you come to me later tonight, Love. If we didn't have guests outside, I would take you right here on my desk." Stephanie grimaced as he took her hand and rubbed the crotch of his pants.

A knock at the office door made him release her hand and Stephanie silently thanked Katrina for interrupting. She watched as the other woman entered the room and handed CJ to Luciano. She was dressed in a scrap of a dress that did nothing to cover her surgically enhanced breasts. She did everything she could to get Luciano's attention, but he ignored her. He gushed over the baby and then pulled Stephanie into his side.

"I have a gorgeous wife and an adorable son, what more could I want or need?" Luciano kissed CJ's and Stephanie's heads before walking out of the office. Stephanie stood stunned for a second and then quickly followed. She didn't want him angry at her so early in the night and it was time for them to join the party.

Stepping out onto the patio was like stepping into a dream. Hector's (or Pilar's) team had done an incredible job decorating. The pool was full of candles floating on lily pads; the tables were draped with black and white table cloths and held elegant place settings. The chairs held matching coverings and there was soft music playing over the sound system. Luciano was impressed and pulled Stephanie into his side as he took in the scene before him.

"This is gorgeous, Malena. You did a fantastic job!" He kissed her passionately and then let her go as they were approached by 'friends.' Luciano handed Stephanie the baby as the man of the pair pulled him into a group of guys sharing cigars. The woman led Stephanie over to the group of women sipping champagne and gossiping. She held CJ close to her as she joined the group of women.

Before Stephanie even stepped onto the patio, she felt the tingle on the back of her neck letting her know that Ranger was close. She casually looked around but she couldn't pick him out of the crowds of people mingling around the party. During one glance around the patio, she spotted Tank and she couldn't help but giggle. He was dressed in a WHITE suit and had an afro! He was talking to a white gentlemen that had more hair on his face then he did on this head. He looked weird and Stephanie wondered who he was exactly. She shook her head and continued picking out the various Merry Men in attendance. Lester and Bobby were disguised and serving hors d'oeuvres to the guests. Lester went the extra mile and was sporting a very realistic looking fake nose along with thick rimmed glasses. His once dirty blond hair was jet black and slicked back away from his face. He looked totally different that normal, but his eyes were the same and they brought comfort to Stephanie when she met his gaze.

Hal stood behind the bar mixing drinks and dodging the advances of the desperate housewives in attendance. Poor Cal was busy picking up the dirty dishes lying around the patio. He had to dodge the fingers of the guests; not just their words. Aside from Lester, none of her Merry Men looked at Stephanie. She could see the tension rolling off each man and knew they were doing everything they could to stay in character. It wasn't visible to the normal guests, but she knew these men. She could see how on alert they really were.

An hour after arriving, the party was in full swing. Luciano made sure to mingle with everyone and seemed to be having a good time. He had all but forgotten about Stephanie and CJ and she was forced to talk to the women that came with their husbands. Stephanie didn't like any of them and rarely even listened to their conversations. She smiled and nodded enough times so they thought she was paying attention. Stephanie had too much on her mind to act interested in them.

When she'd had enough, Stephanie excused herself with CJ and found a quiet corner to hide in. After escaping the gossip mongers, Stephanie was relaxing at a table with CJ sleeping in her arms when Luciano approached her with the bald man that she saw Tank talking to earlier in the evening. Luciano placed a kiss on her head when he got close enough and introduced her to the man. "Darling, this is Dr. Arnold Thomas. Dr. Thomas, this is my beautiful wife, Malena, and our son Luciano Jr." Stephanie reached her hand out to be polite and shook the man's hand. She smiled brightly and sucked in a breath when his hand met hers. Electricity filled her body as his eyes locked on hers and her heart stopped beating. She recognized those eyes. They were the same deep brown eyes that had haunted her dreams for the past year.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Malena. Your husband has been telling me all about you and your precious son." Stephanie internally shook herself out of the stupor and smiled at Ranger in disguise.

"I hope it was all good things." Ranger let loose his full watt smile and even though his skin was white and he had no hair on his head, he was still a gorgeous man.

"All very good things, but it looks like you've got a tired little baby on your hands." Ranger looked down at the sleeping infant and Stephanie could almost hear him sigh.

Stephanie barely heard Ranger's whisper as he gazed at the baby. "Family is important. I keep a very special picture of my family right close to my heart." Stephanie looked up to see Ranger patting his chest pocket where she knew the picture she'd just given him was currently residing. She also knew her and CJ would always stay close to his heart.

Luciano interrupted the family's moment when he bent down and picked the baby out of Stephanie's arms. She began to panic, but relaxed when Ranger placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to let Katrina take him inside for the rest of the evening, Malena. You've been with him and haven't been able to enjoy the party." Luciano pulled Stephanie out of the chair she was sitting in and kissed her hard on the mouth. "And I want to the chance to dance with you, Sexy. Entertain the good doctor while I find Katrina. I thought I saw her a second ago hitting on one of the waiters."

Stephanie and Ranger watched as a mad man carried off their infant son. Both wanted to shoot the bastard in the head and take the baby from him, but instead they just stood and watched as he walked away. When he and Katrina disappeared into the house together, Ranger turned to Stephanie and took a step back. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but knew that probably wouldn't be the best thing to do right then.

"You okay, Babe?" Hearing Ranger's words made Stephanie tear up. She couldn't speak past the lump in her throat, so she just nodded. Ranger saw the emotions flying across her face and understood. "Good. You're doing great and we only have a little longer left. Now that CJ is inside, we're just waiting on word from Rodriguez that he's got him out. You remember the rest of the plan?" Again Stephanie nodded. She also swallowed the lump finally so she could speak once again.

"I remember everything and I trust you guys. I'm just ready for this to all be over." Ranger understood, fully, what she was talking about. He was beyond ready for it all to be over too.

"It will be soon, Babe." Luciano came back out onto the patio and was more boisterous than before. Ranger raised an eyebrow at Stephanie.

"He's been hitting the cocaine hard. I don't trust him at all." Ranger nodded and took another step back as Luciano approached them and pulled Stephanie into his arms. He gave her another hard kiss and then turned back to Ranger.

"I'm sorry Dr. Thomas, but I'm kidnapping this gorgeous woman away from you. She owes me some dances." Ranger nodded and watched the couple walk toward the small dance floor located on the middle of the patio. He thought to himself that Luciano had no idea how true that statement really was, but it would all be over soon and she'd be his once again.

####

On the outskirts of the mansion's property, Rodriguez sat waiting patiently for his que to go. His eyes wateched the house with a keen observance. He'd picked out the guards that would need to be dealt with as he made his way toward the point of entry. He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to get CJ out. He just had to wait for the word from Hector.

Hector's job was to infiltrate the on-sight control room, so that he could take control of the house's cameras. Hector would be his eyes while he made his way around the house. Rodriguez knew that he could do it with no problems. Hector was like a shadow and could move around without being seen. He was good at his job.

Late in the evening, Rodriguez's earpiece came to life as Hector's voice broke through his thoughts. It was time, so he cracked his neck and said a small prayer before making his way to the house.

He took out the three guards that stood between him and his goal. He didn't kill them, but they wouldn't wake up for several hours and even when they did they would wish they were dead. With the guards out of the way, he made his way to the window at the end of the hallway. They knew all the windows had sensors, so they couldn't be opened but since Hector had disabled the alarms, Rodriguez quietly unlocked the window and slipped inside the house.

He made his way down to the nursery's door and stopped when he heard a female voice. "I don't know why I'm stuck here with you, you little bastard. I should be out there on Luciano's arm, but nooo...your whore of a mother has him wrapped around her finger. He's actually starting to believe that she's Malena. What an idiot!" Rodriguez heard the baby fussing and chanced a peek inside the door to see what was going on. What he saw made his blood boil with rage.

Katrina was roughly stripping CJ's clothes off and even shook him a little when he wouldn't stay still for her. "Oh shut up, you little piece of shit. Why do you have to cry so much? Your mom isn't here. You're only quiet when she's around. But you better get used to this. After tonight, I will be your mommy." Rodriguez stilled and listened. "After your daddy gets a piece of ass from that whore tonight, he won't be able to pretend that she's Malena. He'll be so angry that it won't be hard to convince him to kill her. Then, it will just be you, me and Luc. We'll be the perfect family."

Rodriguez pulled out his gun and tightened the silencer around the barrel. His orders were clear. Katrina was to be eliminated, plain and simple. She hurt Ranger and Stephanie's child, so she didn't deserve to live. Rodriguez let out a calming breath and listened to her talk to CJ some more.

"There! You're all ready for bed." Rodriguez watched as she sat in the rocker and shoved a bottle into his mouth. "Drink this and go to sleep, Brat." Rodriguez continued to watch and waited for his chance to go inside. After about half an hour, he heard Katrina stand out of the chair and then he heard the locking of the crib rails. He knew the baby was asleep and in his crib.

"Finally, now I guess I'll watch some Netflix since I can't do anything else." Rodriguez couldn't see Katrina any longer so he assumed she was sitting in the big overstuffed chair in the corner of the room. Stephanie told Hector that it was her favorite spot to lounge when she was forced to stay in the nursery. Rodriguez knew it was time to move.

He entered the room and leveled the gun right where he knew she'd be sitting. The look of shock on her face made him smile as he pulled the trigger. She didn't even get the chance to utter a word before her lifeless body slumped back into the chair. There was a perfectly round hole right between her lifeless eyes. Rodriguez took a minute to look at the woman, but couldn't feel any pity for her. One thing you don't do is purposefully hurt a child.

When Rodriguez was convinced that she was down and never going to get back up, he quickly and quietly moved over to the crib. Hector was watching the monitors and would let him know if a guard even got close to the nursery, and so far, none had even entered that side of the house.

Once he was at the crib, he bent and picked up the sleeping baby. He was the perfect combination of Stephanie and Ranger and he smiled as the baby instantly relaxed into his arms. He grabbed some blankets and wrapped him up tightly. It wasn't too cold outside, but he wasn't taking any chances with the baby. Rodriguez glanced around the nursery and saw nothing that he wanted to take with him. He didn't think Stephanie would want any of the toys or clothes. They had more than enough stuff for CJ waiting at the hotel.

Before heading out of the room, Rodriguez paused and whispered into his mic. "I'm heading out with the mini-Boss. Everything clear?" Once he heard Hector's affirmative response, he made his way to the open window and was outside before he knew it. He quietly made his way to the rendezvous point which was easy since he'd already taken out the guards.

Junior was waiting right where he was supposed to be with a warm car equipped with an infant car seat. Rodriguez buckled CJ in the seat and closed the door. "He's your responsibility now. Take him directly to the hotel and do not let him out of your sight. Got it?" Junior nodded and silently drove off. Rodriguez watched the tail lights until he could no longer see them then he spoke into his mic once again, "Mini-Boss is off site. We're a go for the extraction of Bomber."

####

The instant Tank heard the word that CJ was safe, he fell over at his table and started to convulse. Ranger was by his side in a second ordering the other guests to back up. Bobby, Les, and Cal each did their part and helped push the gawkers back so Ranger could 'help' Tank. Luciano and Stephanie ran over to see if they could assist.

"This man is having a seizure. Once he stops, I need to take him inside to assess him. Is there a room close?" Ranger already knew the answer to that question. Luciano's office was the closest room and logically, that would be where he would take them.

"Of course, I'll show you to my office." Tank stopped jerking and acted like he 'passed out'. Stephanie had to stifle a giggle. He really was a good actor. Ranger motioned over Bobby and Cal to help carry Tank into the office.

Luciano led the group into the house. Stephanie waited until they had all disappeared and then she made her move. Les and Hal were left on the patio and watched her leave, just like they'd planned. They both let out a sigh of relief when she walked casually through the door. They were still holding people back so that the other guys could handle Luciano.

Inside the house, Stephanie crept towards the front door, nonchalantly. She quietly opened it and was about to step through when a large hand wrapped around her wrist. "You're not supposed to go out front unattended, ma'am." Stephanie jumped at first then relaxed when she saw that it was just one of Luciano's guards and a rather dumb one at that.

"Oh, it's okay, Trevor, I was told by my husband to wait for the ambulance outside." The guard looked at her for a second. He was just about to let Stephanie go then he thought twice and tightened his hold.

"I don't think so, Bitch. Let's you and I go see the Boss and ask him." Stephanie's throat closed. She didn't want to be close to what was going on in the office. She was supposed to be outside already and far away from the action. What if they were already gone? What if they thought she was out? She would either be stuck there forever or Luciano would kill her. Luciano stepped outside of his office right as the guard drug Stephanie to the door. He looked at them in surprise.

"I caught her trying to sneak out, Boss. She says she's supposed to wait for the ambulance." Luciano's gaze turned hard and he stalked toward Stephanie. Luciano grabbed her by the hair and wrenched her head back before yelling into her face. "WHY DO YOU CONSTANTLY DISOBEY ME?"

Stephanie whimpered, "I'm sorry. I thought there was an ambulance coming. I thought I would help." Tears filled her eyes as pain shot through her head.

"You thought you would help? You can't help. You're too stupid to help. You know the consequences of your disobedience. I guess I need to call Katrina now. Someone will pay for your stupidity." Stephanie began to panic. He picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. His face turned into stone when there was no answer. He looked at the guard standing a little ways away. "Go to the nursery and tell Katrina to punish lightly. She'll understand what that means." Luciano looked at Stephanie, "We'll wait right here. There's no need to bother our guests with this situation." His hand tightened in her hair and his other hand gripped her upper arm tight enough to leave a bruise.

Stephanie started to squirm, trying to release his hold on her but it only made him grip her tighter. "Stop squirming, Bitch." Luciano's voice was deadly. After several tense minutes, the guard came running back toward them standing outside the office with his gun out. "Katrina is dead and the baby is missing. We're under attack, Boss."

Rage filled Luciano's eyes and for the first time since she'd been taken, Stephanie was scared for her life. She watched in horror as Luciano pulled out his gun and held it right between her eyes. His voice was deadly calm when he spoke. "You will tell me where my son is NOW or so help me, Malena..."

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A/N - So the entire rescue got too long to keep as one chapter so I had to split it up. The second half and the reunion we've all been waiting for will be posted tomorrow. Take a few to tell me what you thought. Can you picture Ranger as a white bald man or Tank with an afro? :D


	25. Together Again

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

FINALLY! The chapter that everyone has patiently been waiting for. I know you all were waiting for this yesterday, and I'm sorry to let you down. But...I figured this was a good way to end the week. Have a great weekend and I'll see you all on Monday! : D

Thank each and every one of you who took time to review. I truly appreciate the encouragement! Keep them coming!

Potterwench...you're an amazing beta and very special friend. I couldn't do this without you. Love ya girl!

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**Chapter 25 - Together Again**

Inside the office, Ranger and the guys listened as Luciano screamed at Stephanie. The second they heard her whimper, they drew their guns and were waiting for Luciano to return. Bobby and Cal stood ready for anything and Tank was up and standing beside Ranger when the office door got thrown open, Luciano stepped in holding Stephanie in front of him. His gun pressed firmly to her temple and the rage in his eyes was plainly clear for Ranger and Tank to see. Luciano looked around the room at the four men and sneered.

"I thought I would find out that you all were a part of this. I'm surprised it took you so long Manoso, I thought this piece of ass of yours meant more to you than that! Did you even really miss her or was she replaced too quickly to worry with?" He squeezed Stephanie tighter.

"It's over, Luciano. Let her go and we'll let you live." Ranger's voice was hard and his gun was trained on the man holding his Babe.

Luciano sneered again and his eyes turned wild. "I HAVE NOTHING TO LIVE FOR! You took away my wife. She was pregnant with my unborn son! YOU and your men killed them!"

"It was your father's guard who pulled that trigger, not my men. I'm sorry that she died, but we didn't have anything to do with hurting you or her. We didn't even know you were there. Hurting Stephanie will not bring Malena back." Ranger tried to reason with the man, but everyone there knew that it was no use. He was beyond crazy and extremely high on cocaine.

"It was because of you that she died! It was because you were there that she was taken from me!" Luciano felt Tank moving closer, so he quickly turned his gun and fired then pressed his gun back to his captive's head. Stephanie screamed as she watched Tank fall to the floor.

Everyone was quiet. The guys kept their eyes on Luciano as Stephanie watched Tank. She prayed that he wasn't dead. She wouldn't forgive herself if he died trying to rescue her. It was her fault he was here. It was her fault that he got shot. Stephanie let out a sigh of relief when she saw Tank move and heard him groan. She figured then that he was wearing a bullet proof vest since Luciano had shot Tank close to the heart.

"If anyone moves again, I won't waste the bullet on them. I kill your bitch instead!" Luciano screamed at the room making everyone tense even more than they already were. He felt Stephanie squirm, so he tightened his grip and pressed the gun closer to her head.

"I said not to move!" Stephanie stilled and looked at Ranger with panic filled eyes. "You've taken my wife's place in my heart, but I won't hesitate to kill you. I know that you're not her, and I've been fooling myself into thinking that you cared about me. I see by this display of treachery that you don't care about me at all. Now, I don't care if you die!" Luciano twirled Stephanie around to face him and placed the gun to her forehead right between her eyes.

"My original plan was to kill you in your apartment and leave you for your boyfriend to find, but then I saw you. You reminded me so much of my Malena. Your hair was the wrong color, but they have hair dye for that. I knew that God had sent you to me to replace what I'd lost." Luciano stepped closer, never removing the gun. "Then I found out you were pregnant and knew, then, that you were meant to be with me. God took my son and my wife, but He gave me you and Luc Jr. to replace them." Luciano kissed Stephanie fiercely making every man in the room growl.

Keeping his gun trained on Stephanie, Luciano turned to Ranger. "Does it bother you, Manoso, to know that your love has been in my bed for the past year? Does it bother you to know that's it's been me making her scream? Does it bother you that it was me who watched your son come into the world? Does it bother you that it was me who cut his cord and it was me who held him first? Does that make you mad? Does that infuriate you?"

The look on Ranger's face would have made most men cower in fear. However, Luciano just started laughing. "It does bother you! Good! You'll live your life knowing that I was the last person to touch your woman. It was my hands on her, not yours."

The guard in the office turned his gun and attention to the door when he heard a noise. Paul stepped in and Luciano smiled. "Well, it seems like the odds are beginning to shift into my favor!" Paul turned his gun onto Bobby and Cal and gave them a brief nod. "Trevor, run to the control room and sound the alarm. I want every available person in this room. Our guests are going to tell me what happened to my son and then they're all going to die."

Trevor nodded once and exited the room leaving Paul standing behind Luciano. The man was just too trusting. Paul quietly closed the door and stepped up closer to Luciano.

Stephanie saw him looking intently at her and she understood his unspoken command. Paul's voice was loud when he spoke. "Who do you want me to shoot first boss? The Bitch or the men?" Luciano sneered and looked around the room.

"Take your pick, Paul, just leave the Bitch and the Baldy to me. They're going to have a little fun with me before they die." Luciano was distracted enough by Ranger's slight movement that Paul made his move. He nodded at Stephanie and as she was moving her head to the right, away from the gun, Paul brought the butt of his gun down onto the back of Luciano's head. Luciano's gun fired as Stephanie fell to the floor.

Ranger watched the whole sequence in slow motion. He knew what Paul was going to do and he knew it was the only way. They had to hurry because if the other guard sounded the alarm, they would all be screwed. They needed to get out of there as soon as possible. Ranger's heart stopped when he heard the gun fire and then his worst fears came true seeing Stephanie fall to the floor. He fell beside her instantly and cradled her to his chest.

"God, Babe, no! Babe, look at me! Please tell me you're okay." Stephanie heard his frantic words and realized that her eyes were closed. She let her mind calculate if she was hurt anywhere, and when it came back negative, she opened her eyes and looked up at Ranger.

"I'm fine. I'm not hit." She saw his relief instantly as he pulled her up and crushed her into his arms. "I'm okay. I promise that I'm okay!" She kept repeating the phrase over and over. She didn't know if she was trying to convince him or herself.

Hearing not one, but two gunshots, Les and Hal came running into the office. They looked around at the scene with eyebrows raised. Cal and Bobby were holding Tank up and were helping him toward the door. Paul anxiously looked out the door and knew that the group needed to leave.

"Uhhh...I hate to break this up, but we're going to have company really soon. You all need to get out, NOW!" He watched Ranger and Stephanie slowly pull apart. Ranger stood quickly and pulled Stephanie with him.

"Les and Hal, pick up that piece of trash. He's coming with us." Ranger pointed to the unconscious man lying on the office floor. They followed orders and lifted him up. Ranger had Stephanie close to him as they all moved toward the office door. Stephanie stopped and looked at Paul who was moving further into the room.

"What about you? Aren't you coming with us?" Stephanie asked him with sadness filling her voice.

"No, Sweetheart, I'm going to stay here and make sure no one knows who you all are. I'll say that I was jumped from behind and when I woke up, everyone was gone; including you and the boss." He smiled at her when she nodded. Everyone in that room knew that they were looking at the newest addition to RangeMan Trenton. "Now go! I got this!"

The team all exited the office and the house without running into any guards or guests. There was a van right beside the front door waiting for them all with Hector smiling from behind the wheel. Once all of them were securely fastened inside, Hector sped away from the house. He stopped down the road and picked up Rodriguez who was waiting just in case there was an emergency.

The second Rodriguez hopped into the van, Stephanie began to panic. "Where is CJ, Dante? You were supposed to get him out. We have to go back. Please, we have to..." Ranger placed a finger to her lips to stop her from talking.

"CJ's safe and sound at the hotel with Junior. I wouldn't leave him behind, Babe." Ranger's voice dropped to a whisper as he rested his forehead against hers. She had tears falling down her face and the guys turned away, so they could pretend that they didn't see the tears on Ranger's face, also.

The rest of the ride was made in silence. Stephanie stayed tucked into Ranger's side. He whispered soothing words in Spanish to her. The guys tried not to listen, but it was hard in such a small vehicle. They were amazed at the words coming out of their boss's mouth. They all knew that he loved her, and his words echoed that love and devotion. Even though she couldn't understand them, Stephanie heard the emotion behind them. She knew in her heart what he was saying to her.

Bobby checked Tank over in the van and decided that he didn't need to go to the hospital. Hector pulled into the hotel parking lot and parked the van. Everyone piled out and Ranger and Stephanie were left alone for a brief second. "Do you want to shower and change first, Babe, or go see CJ? I'm sure he's sleeping, but we can still go check."

"I need to see my baby. I need to make sure he's really okay." Ranger nodded and helped her out of the van. The second she stepped outside she was engulfed in Les' arms.

"Beautiful, I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to have you back." Stephanie felt his tears on her bare skin and hugged him equally as tight. She didn't get to stay there long though before Bobby had her in a bear hug. Each man took their turns hugging her and welcoming her back into their lives. There was not one dry eye in the bunch and none of them even seemed to care. Their light was back, brightening the dark recesses in their souls.

The last man waiting for her was Ranger. He waited patiently while each of his friends and co-workers held her. He knew what her death did to each of them, so he didn't begrudge them the opportunity to hold her for a few minutes. He knew his time would come again and he wasn't going to let her go. He used the few minutes to remove most of his disguise. He wanted to be himself when she got to him again.

When she finally stepped into Ranger's arms, he wrapped them protectively around her. She melted into his embrace and breathed in his unique scent that she'd missed so much. That scent did what it had always done for her; it calmed Stephanie and made her feel like nothing could hurt her. For the first time in a year, she felt totally safe. She couldn't stop the tears from falling, Stephanie didn't even try. Ranger's own eyes were unable to stay dry holding his love in his arms. After she'd calmed, he lifted up her head, so he could look into her face. Like the sky after a storm, her eyes were clear and crystal blue.

Ranger knew he needed to step into boss mode for a few minutes before he could relax with his family. "Santos, Brown, and Hector...take that piece of trash back to Trenton tonight. Tell everyone in the building nothing about Stephanie being alive. I don't want gossip getting back to her family before we get there. Tell the pilot to rest a day or two and then come back for the rest of us. He can call me when he lands here. We'll be ready to go." The three men nodded and after hugging Stephanie again, climbed into the van and drove off. Luciano would be waiting for them when they got back.

"Come on, Babe. Let's go up and see our son." For the first time in so many months, Stephanie actually smiled a full smile. Ranger led her into the hotel and up to the suite where their son was sleeping. They'd changed to a better equipped hotel earlier that day in order to have better surroundings once they got Stephanie and CJ back. Ranger didn't want his Babe or his son staying in the small, dirty rooms they'd used to plan the mission.

Junior was sitting on the couch when he heard the door to the suite open. Even though he knew only Ranger and the guys knew about the room he still pulled his gun immediately and pointed it in the direction of the door. Hearing Ranger's voice made him lower his weapon. "It's us, Junior. Stand down."

Once Ranger heard the safety click on the gun, he directed Stephanie around the corner. Her eyes fell on the crib sitting against the far wall. She saw a bundle lying in the bed and immediately walked over and picked up the sleeping child. She cuddled him to her chest and suddenly everything she had been through hit her.

The fear and the anger that she'd felt for the past year came crashing down and she collapsed onto the floor clutching her son against her chest. Huge wracking sobs escaped her body as she held him close. Ranger sank down behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his protective embrace. He didn't know what else he could do for her.

Seeing the scene in front of him, Junior decided to leave the newly reunited family alone and quietly made his way out the door. Rodriguez was standing outside the door at parade rest but paying attention to everything around him. He didn't want to go in the room, instead he was taking up guard duty. Junior raised a single brow at him.

Rodriguez shrugged. "She's my partner and she's distracted. I'm guarding the door until Ranger tells me to leave. Tank's one room over whining about bruised ribs from being shot." Junior understood and nodded as he smirked. Being shot in the vest hurt, he felt for Tank. Junior positioned himself on the other side of the door and looked at Dante.

"Ranger's distracted too. We'll watch both their backs until we're told to leave." Rodriguez smiled slightly and went back to watching the empty hallway.

Inside the hotel room, Ranger finally held his family in his arms. His tears mingled with his Babe's as they sat on the floor next to the crib. CJ stayed asleep and had no idea of the emotional turmoil going on around him. After several minutes, Stephanie finally got herself under control and pulled back from Ranger, just a bit. She saw tears on his face and gently reached up to wipe them away. Ranger smiled his thanks before looking down at the sleeping infant.

"Can I hold our son, Babe?" Stephanie smiled and offered the sleeping bundle to Ranger. He gently took him from her arms and cradled him closely to his chest, never taking his eyes off the infant.

Not wanting to break the spell in the room, Stephanie whispered in a small voice. "I named him Carlos Joaquin. I hated when I had to call him Luciano, Jr." She gently traced the baby's face and then looked at Ranger. "He looks a lot like you."

"He does, but he's got your blue eyes and your ears. He's perfect, Babe." Ranger turned and pulled Stephanie into his side with his free arm. He placed a kiss on top of her head before turning his gaze back to his son.

After several minutes, Ranger sighed and after standing, placed CJ back into the crib. He bent and kissed him gently on the head before whispering something in Spanish to the sleeping infant. He then held his hand out for Stephanie. When she placed her hand in his, he gently lifted her onto her feet and wrapped his arms around her again. "Let's get ready for bed, Babe. You're exhausted and I'm not far behind you." Stephanie smiled and nodded. Ranger pulled her into the bedroom and pushed her toward the bathroom.

"Take a shower. I'm going to call the guys real fast. I need to make sure Tank's okay and that the others got off the ground." Stephanie nodded and walked into the bathroom. She took a fast shower, washing off every touch and memory lingering on her skin. Stepping out of the glassed enclosure, she smiled seeing the familiar black T-shirt and a comfortable pair of underwear waiting for her on the vanity. She threw on the clothes and stepped out of the bathroom not expecting to see what she did.

Ranger was sitting, shirtless, on the bed with this head cradled in his hands. Looking upon the once confident man looking so defeated broke Stephanie's heart, so she slowly walked toward the bed and kneeled down in front of him. She had no idea what was going on in his head, but she wanted to comfort him. "Ranger?" Her voice was whisper soft. He didn't pick up his head at her words, and she began to worry. "Please talk to me, Ranger. Don't shut me out." She placed her hands on either side of his head and gently lifted it up so that she could look into his eyes. What she saw in them made her suck in a breath.

Stephanie had seen Ranger in many situations, but she'd never seen him scared before. The haunted look behind his eyes held such fear and terror. She had no idea what he'd gone through since she'd 'died'. She had no idea what he'd been doing the past year. A lot can change in a year and Stephanie thought maybe his feelings toward her had changed. Since he wasn't talking to her or even really looking at her, Stephanie made a move to stand up to give him space but Ranger's hands stopped her movement.

"I've..." Ranger's words were quiet and he had to stop and swallow the tears. "I've dreamed of this for so many months. When you died, part of me died with you. My life ended with yours and the only time I felt whole again was in my dreams. I loved dreaming that you were in my arms again. I loved holding you, but I always woke up and the nightmare of real life started again." Tears filled his eyes and streamed down his face. Stephanie kissed them away and waited for him to continue talking.

"I'm so scared, Babe. I'm scared this is a dream and I'll wake up and you'll be gone again. I won't survive if you go away again, Babe. I need you so much." Ranger fell silent again and hung his head. Stephanie scooted closer and grabbed his hand; placing it over her rapidly beating heart.

"Feel that, Carlos. Feel my heart beating. I'm alive and I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." She dropped his hand and pinched his leg hard. He grimaced at the pain and looked at her. "You're not dreaming. I pinched you. This is real. I'm here. You're going to wake up tomorrow, and I'm still going to be here. You're going to wake up every day for next however many years with me in your arms!" Stephanie realized what she said and thought maybe she was assuming too much. Maybe he had another girlfriend. Maybe he didn't want her. Ranger saw her internal thoughts and knew he had to set her straight immediately.

"I told you in my letter, Babe, that I want you. I'm going to marry you. We're going to have more babies together. You ARE going to wake up in my arms for many, many years." Tears fell from her eyes. "We have so much to talk about, Babe, but tonight...I need you. I need to touch you and I need to kiss you." Ranger pictured Luciano's hands on her and felt the rage build. He prayed that she would feel comfortable enough with him for them to make love. He wasn't lying when he said that he needed her.

Seeing the torment in his eyes, Stephanie reached up and cupped his cheek. "He never touched me like that. He was lying. He only touched me a few times and kissed me. He never..." Ranger didn't let her finish. Hearing her confession spurred him into action and he did what he'd wanted to do ever since he saw from the binoculars. He kissed her. He fused his lips to hers and felt her melt into him.

*~* Smut *~*

Stephanie knew he was on edge, so she kept her kisses light and gentle while his were desperate and full of need. Stephanie groaned when she felt Ranger pull her into him more. His tongue made its way into her mouth, battling with her own. Stephanie gave in to the demands of his mouth and kissed him back just as feverishly. She ran her hand up his bare chest, stopping to scrape over his hardened nipples.

All sane thoughts left his mind as Ranger moaned into her mouth. He needed her and she needed him. That was all that mattered to both of them. He suddenly stood up from the bed, breaking the kiss, but only for a second. He lifted her up by her legs and slammed her against the wall. She gasped out, but only briefly because his mouth was instantly back on hers. As their cores thrust together in a dance of passion, Ranger's mouth once again took possession of Stephanie's. He refused to ever let her go again.

His kisses became so demanding that Stephanie didn't think she could take anymore. The fire burning inside of her was a step away from being painful and she feared she'd combust at any moment. She ground her overheated core against his erection, trying to find some sort of release. Ranger took the hint and removed his mouth from hers and started to make his way down her neck, sucking and nipping her sensitive flesh. He made sure to mark her. He wanted the world to know just who she belonged to.

"Carlos!" Stephanie couldn't stop from moaning his name when she felt his large warm hand slide up the black T-shirt and palm one of her breasts. Ranger grunted mid-kiss when the T-shirt got in the way of him getting to the other breast. He pulled his mouth away and tore the offending article of clothing from her hot body. Desire clouded his mind, and he welcomed the feeling. These feelings distracted him from the thoughts he'd had earlier. The fear and sadness that he'd felt for the past year were gone, now, in their place instead was a feeling of raw and unadulterated passion.

Ranger couldn't take anymore. Stephanie's moans and undulations against him were too much and he had to have her. He reached down and ripped the cotton panties off her body. Stephanie gasped out at the shock, but groaned when his finger entered her. She leaned her head back in ecstasy at the feeling of his long, thick finger moving inside her. Ranger smirked into her neck when he felt her grip his shoulders. He inserted another finger and started pumping more steadily than before. Her pants became quicker and he knew she was close so he slowed down.

"Damn it, Carlos! Let me cum. I need to cum, please." Hearing her beg made him even harder behind his cargos. He didn't want her to cum without him being inside her so he quickly undid his cargos and shoved them down, freeing his throbbing erection.

Stephanie moaned feeling his massive erection at her entrance. It had been so long since she'd felt him and she was craving to feel him inside her. Ranger recaptured her mouth in a possessive kiss at the same moment that he slid home into her. Ranger hadn't been with anyone since Stephanie and he knew from her tightness and her words that neither had she. "Fuck, Babe!" He stilled inside her. Gathering some semblance of control and letting her adjust to his size. When Stephanie's nails scraped down Ranger's bare back, he moaned into her mouth from both the pain and the pleasure of her assault.

Ranger started thrusting into her desperately, trying to find his release because he couldn't hold back any longer. He knew from Stephanie moans and whimpers that she didn't mind his aggressive assault. She met every thrust with her hips. Their kiss turned more passionate as he pounded into her with increasing force and speed. Ranger ever so slowly moved his hand between them and found her swollen nub. He began to slowly stroke it in time with his thrusts.

Stephanie's eyes widened in shock, and she was so close. But, she didn't want to scream and wake up the baby, so she attached her mouth to his gorgeous neck. She sucked and nipped on his skin as he continued to assault her. Ranger gave her a moan of appreciation and sped up his thrusts. His movements became quicker and he felt her walls clench around him. He felt her bite down on his neck to muffle her cry of release and after a few more strokes, he climaxed with her. He had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from screaming out in sheer joy. She was alive and he was inside her once again.

Ranger thrust a few more times, drawing out their orgasms as long as possible. When they had both came down from their highs, Ranger felt weak and was struggling to keep them both upright. He gently lowered Stephanie to the floor, her body never leaving contact with his. They stood still for a few minutes, panting together. Their slick bodies pressed tightly together. Ranger heard Stephanie moan in satisfaction and he began to harden again against her stomach.

Resting his forehead against hers, Ranger let out a calming breath and looked deep into Stephanie's eyes. "I love you so much, Babe."

Unable to stop them, Stephanie's eyes closed at his words and she felt them fill with tears. "I love you, too Carlos. Always."

Ranger lovingly stroked her face until Stephanie opened her eyes again. Once her blues met his brown, Ranger smirked. "You ready for round two, Babe?" Stephanie smirked back and couldn't stop the moan. She was beyond ready for the next round. They had a lot of lost time that they had to make up for and they had all night to do it.

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A/N - So there you have it. She's safe and sound back in Ranger's arms. They've still got a little ways to go to their HEA, but it's a little closer than before. Please let me know what you thought. This has been a traumatic morning already so I could use a little love.


	26. We're Human

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Sorry this is later than normal this morning, but at least it's out there. Hopefully you all got the email notification too. I guess Fan Fiction didn't like Friday the 13th. If you didn't read Friday's chapter, make sure you do it before this one. :)

Thank you all so much for the reviews and fav/follows. You all sure know how to stroke my ego. I love reading your thoughts and feelings on each chapter. Please keep them coming. We're on the home stretch now!

Potterwench, thank you for your countless hours spent editing this story. I couldn't have done this without you girl.

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**Chapter 26 - We're human**

The next morning when Ranger woke up, he reached out to pull Stephanie to him but only found empty sheets. He sat up frantically looking around the hotel room. The night before had been so real to him. He could still feel every touch and every kiss. He could still smell her scent on his skin. He thought for sure she was alive and Stephanie had once again been in his arms. Ranger could even smell CJ's scent lingering in the air, but his Babe wasn't there in the bed with him now. It was once again the way it had been so many mornings before and the realization hit him as his heart broke all over again. Everything from the night had been a dream, and he was still alone. Ranger couldn't stop the sob that tore through him as the tears started falling from his eyes. The pain in his heart was too much for him to bear and he had no idea how he'd survive it this time. Last night's dream had been so real….

A noise from the other room broke through Ranger's grief as he heard the sound of someone singing softly. He immediately recognized the voice and was filled with relief. It was Stephanie's. He slowly climbed out of bed and slipped into the pair of cargos lying on the floor. His soft feet padded quietly against the carpet as he walked into the other room. His breath finally left his lungs when he took in the scene in the living room. There she was, sitting angelically holding their son. She had her feet curled up under her on the couch and CJ cradled in her arms as she fed him from the bottle.

Ranger let out a sigh of relief watching his Babe feed their son. The night before wasn't a dream. Stephanie was alive and she was there in front of him, holding their child in her arms. He slowly walked over and sat beside Stephanie on the couch. She turned to him and started to smile, but stopped when she saw the haunted look on his face. She thought about what he woke up to and immediately felt guilty.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry, Carlos! I didn't think when I got out of bed! I heard CJ fussing and knew he was probably hungry!" Ranger smiled softly at her and kissed her on the forehead.

"Its okay, Babe, I freaked a little bit when I first woke up and you weren't there. It was my worst nightmare coming true all over again." Ranger sighed and rested his head on her shoulder. His gaze fell on their son as he drank his bottle. "I understand why you had to go to our son and leave our bed, but I'm going to warn you, Babe. I might be a little clingy and possessive of you two for a while."

Stephanie understood fully about his fears, so she just nodded. "I understand, Carlos, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I have no desire to leave your side any time soon." Ranger smiled at her and leaned in for a tender kiss.

They sat quietly for a few minutes before Ranger got up the nerve to ask the question that he'd been thinking about since finding out Stephanie was alive. "Babe, how do you want to handle going back to Trenton? Everyone thinks that you're dead. I don't know the best way to bring you back to life." Stephanie smiled at him and nodded her understanding.

"I need to do with as many people as we can at one time. Once I go to my parent's house, it will be all over the Burg and I don't want Connie or Lula or Mary Lou hearing about it like that. but if we tell them first then they'll start the gossip too. No matter what we do, it's going to be wrong. We also have to introduce CJ to his family." Stephanie lost herself in thought for a few minutes before asking, "So who all knows about this?" Stephanie looked up into Ranger's eyes bus she saw that they were trained on the sleeping infant, so she carefully turned and placed the baby in his arms.

Ranger smiled at her when CJ cuddled down into him and let out a little sigh. "Only the guys you saw here know you're alive. I had to tell Joe because I needed his help finding out who was buried in your grave. He won't tell anyone though." Stephanie nodded and turned away. She'd been gone almost a year and she wondered what all had changed. "Not much has changed, Babe. Don't stress about it. We'll figure it out."

Stephanie nodded and thought a few minutes. "I want to see my family first. Maybe if we go to the house at night, no one will notice. I can't imagine that anyone would be expecting me. They all think that I'm dead." Stephanie couldn't imagine the pain and suffering her family must have gone through.

"One little girl is waiting for you Babe. Mary Alice never thought you were really gone. She's the one that made me search for you for six months after the explosion. I highly doubt she ever gave up." Ranger smirked remembering the little girl's determination to find her aunt.

Stephanie was quiet again and Ranger could tell that she was deep in thought. He was about to ask her what she was thinking when she turned to him with tears in her eyes. "Why did you give up?" The pain and disappointment in her voice broke his heart. He reached a hand out and wiped away the tears that were streaming down her face.

Ranger slowly stood up with his sleeping son and placed him in the crib. He kept his head down while he thought about what to tell her. Was there anything he could say to make her feel better? He had given up on her. He stopped looking for her. Could she forgive him for that? He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear her climb off the couch. He didn't even know she was close until she slid her arms around his waist from behind. Her warm lips placed a kiss between his shoulder blades and sent shivers running through his body.

"You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry that I asked. I can't imagine what you must have gone through." Stephanie kissed his bare back again. Ranger rubbed her hands that were still wrapped around him. He slowly turned in her arms, so he could see her eyes. It was how he read her thoughts.

Ranger saw the tears still swimming in her eyes and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "I didn't want to stop looking. I wanted to believe that you were still out there waiting for me to find you. For those first six months, I was like a man possessed. I didn't eat or sleep. I was angry and yelled at everyone. It took Tank and some other guys to get me to see how unhealthy it all was. I was ruining my business and I couldn't keep that up." Ranger let out a long sigh and wiped a few of her escaped tears. "Tank ordered me to stop searching. He helped me understand that I needed to get away from Trenton. I needed to move on with my life. I needed to do what I could to get over you."

"Where did you go?" Stephanie whispered the question through her tears. She didn't really want to have this conversation with him, but her natural curiosity took over.

"I went to Miami. Julie was able to come and stay with me some and I started working again. It hurt not having you in my life and I distracted myself with RangeMan and my daughter. Eventually I even tried..." Ranger stopped talking. He was about to tell her about Rebecca, but decided against it. Stephanie caught his hesitation and tried to pull out of his arms, but he wouldn't let her. "Don't pull away, Babe. I did what I had to do to move on. I'm not proud of any of it and I regret almost everything."

"What exactly did you do?" Stephanie's heart was breaking. The worst case scenarios were screaming through her head and heart.

"Julie set me up with one of her teachers. I took her out to dinner. It took me almost a year to finally be ready to take that step. I knew my heart would never forget you, Babe, but I had to try to move one. I missed you so much." This time when Stephanie pulled away, he let her go. He saw the hurt on her face.

Stephanie walked toward the big window and crossed her arms over her stomach as she looked out at the busy street below. "Do you love her?"

Ranger barely heard her question. He walked quickly up behind her and wrapped her in his arms again. "You are the only woman who I've ever loved. I went on one date with her. She was nice and we had things in common, but she wasn't you. I couldn't even kiss her goodnight because all I saw in front of me was you. The second I found out that you were still alive, she was forgotten." Ranger could feel Stephanie crying in his arms, so he gave her a few minutes to put herself back together.

She finally calmed enough to keep talking. "I'm sorry I got jealous. I had no right to be. You thought I was dead...except I wasn't." Stephanie pulled away again and went to the crib to look at their sleeping son. "I was alive and knew that you thought I was dead. Luciano showed me a video of my funeral. I knew you'd move on eventually and I used to get really angry at you." Ranger kept his distance as she spoke. He could tell that whatever she said needed to come out in order for her to heal.

"Right after I was taken, I had such hope that you were going to find me. I just knew that my Batman would sweep in and rescue me again, but the days turned to weeks and I still waited, but it was harder. I was barely holding on to the hope, and that was when he showed me the video and I knew that you would never come. As the months passed, I knew you were probably moving on. I knew that you were forgetting about me and it hurt so much."

Ranger had heard enough and stepped up in front of her again. "I never forgot about you, Babe. Please don't think that it was easy for me to just move on. Taking that first step to meet Julie's teacher was the hardest thing that I'd ever had to do. But I thought you were gone and..."

Stephanie interrupted him and he could see the flame of anger in her eyes. "I wasn't gone though. I was living in my own personal hell. He told me his whole plan one night. He was originally just going to kill me. Then after seeing me, he decided I looked enough like his dead wife, so he decided to keep me for a little bit. He thought about using me to lure you out and kill you. He blamed you for killing, Malena. Then, when he found out about CJ, well that was all it took for him decide to keep me permanently. He made me change my hair and I was held in that house for almost a year. I was forced to act like his wife when people were around. I had to follow his rules and instructions or he..." Stephanie broke off the sentence because she didn't want to think about it any longer.

He saw his Babe retreating into herself and wanted to keep her talking. She needed to talk through everything that had happened. "What happened in that house, Babe? What did he do to you while you were there?" Ranger didn't really want to hear the answers to those questions, but he knew for Stephanie's sake that he needed to know.

Stephanie saw the questioning look on his face and turned away ashamed. She knew what he was thinking. "He didn't do what you're thinking. The worst thing he did was kiss me. He would hit me every once in a while, but didn't do much of that until after CJ was born. After the birth, he used my child to control me. He and Katrina had no problem threatening to hurt CJ or even kill him. I was so scared leaving him with her, but I had no choice. I only got to see him for two hours a day...and that was only if I was 'good'. I didn't get to breast feed him because they didn't want the baby to be that reliant on me. I wasn't allowed to go anywhere with him and if we were together in the house, it was under heavy guard. He never left CJ and me alone so I couldn't run because I wasn't going to leave our son there." Stephanie fell silent for several minutes. Ranger could read the blame written all over her face and he hated that she was thinking that any of it was her fault.

"I'm sorry that I let all of this happen. I'm sorry that I wasn't stronger and couldn't use the training I'd had to get us away. If it had been you, you would have found a way to get out. I was trained. I should have been able to protect myself and our son. I'm so sorry." Stephanie was sobbing remembering the fears and pain that she'd dealt with for the past year.

"You don't need to apologize, Babe. None of this was your fault. You survived as best you could and you kept our son safe. Part of our training is to know when to use it and when to not. You did the right thing. Had you fought back, they might have hurt you or CJ permanently. You did exactly what I would have." Ranger wiped a few tears off her face and then slowly bent to place a kiss on her lips. "I'm sorry that I gave up looking for you. You might have been found earlier if I hadn't. If I'd kept looking, maybe I would have been there to see CJ's birth. I'm so sorry, Babe. Can you ever forgive me for giving up on us?"

Stephanie saw the pain and remorse on his face. "There's nothing to forgive. You did nothing wrong, Carlos. You survived as best you could just the same as I did. You thought I was dead and you needed to move on. That's what I would have wanted you to do. I wouldn't want you to be miserable for the rest of your life. I had to go out and act like I was a madman's wife. I had to kiss him and act like I was in love with him. It made me sick, but I did it. We've both made mistakes, but we're human, Carlos. We did what we had to do to keep ourselves sane and alive, right?"

Ranger let out a long sigh and brushed some hair away from her face. "Right, Babe." He bent and kissed her again, lightly. "So where do we go from here, Stephanie?" She looked up at him with confusion written all over her face.

"What do you mean where do we go? I want to go home with you unless you don't want..." Ranger fiercely kissed her mouth to shut her up.

"I want you. I want you and CJ in my life. I want it all, Babe and I'm going to have it. Will you come home with me? Will you stay with me?" Ranger brushed the blonde hair out of her eyes.

"In Trenton or in Miami?" Ranger could see the worry and fear in her eyes. She'd been gone for so long and she was afraid of what was waiting for her at home.

"Anywhere you want to go, Babe. Just name the place. Where ever you go, that's where I'll be." Stephanie smiled up at him and thought about where she wanted to go. Even though it was scary to her, there was just one place that she could think of.

"I want to go home...to Trenton. I want to see my family and the guys." Ranger nodded and kissed her nose.

"Then that's where we'll go. Everyone will be thrilled to see you. Have you thought about how you want to make your big return?" Ranger smiled at her fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"Let's tell my family first. Val and the girls will be there for dinner probably and you can make sure Mary Lou is there. Once that's done...can you call a meeting with the guys and have Lula and Connie there? That way everyone finds out at the same time."

Ranger thought about what Stephanie asked and then formed another plan of his own. "Why don't I have Ella plan a big party at RangeMan in your honor? She can invite your family and friends, even the cops...then you can show up and crash it. That way EVERYONE finds out the good news together."

Stephanie thought about the plan and thought it was perfect. "You think Ella can plan and pull off something like that so soon?" Ranger smiled and kissed her again.

"She can do anything and I have lots of money to throw around to help. Why don't we go to Miami for a week? Julie would love to see you and meet her half-brother. I can send the guys home and you and I can relax together with our son. That should give Ella enough time to get things thrown together." Stephanie smiled brightly at Ranger.

"That sounds perfect." She stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him. "Thank you."

Ranger smiled a full smile at her and kissed her deeply. They were both breathless when they pulled apart. "Anything for you, Babe, anything!"

####

Zero was frantically running around the RangeMan building in Trenton. Ram notified him when Santos, Brown, and Hector returned with a prisoner, but he hadn't seen them yet and he needed to get briefed on what was going on. He was thankful that some of the core team had returned because he wasn't up to running the whole damn branch. He was exhausted and needed a hard, stiff drink.

When he finally made his way down to the holding cells, he saw Les and Bobby talking quietly in a corner so he held back to let them finish their conversation. Hector was no where around but he heard screams coming from the cell, so Zero guessed that was where he was hiding.

Les saw Zero first and nodded at him to join the conversation. Zero casually stepped over and looked at the two men. "Welcome back. Which one of you is taking over for me? I'm ready to give this ship back." Bobby smiled at him and slapped him on the back.

"Give us the report. We might decide everything is running smooth and keep you in charge for a bit longer." Zero's eyes got wide and he let out a long sigh.

"Accounts are good. We had one break-in two nights ago, but the suspects were caught on the property by Vince and Woody. TPD has a copy of the surveillance video so they've got a nice air-tight case. Binkie was injured on a takedown earlier this week. Caught a knife to the leg. Zip stitched him up and now he's bitching about having to be on light duty. No new accounts, but we've got meetings lined up for all next week. I was hoping one of the core team was going to be back for those. I'm not good with the public." Les laughed and shook his head.

"You're doing a great job Zero. Brown, Hector and I are off-line for the rest of the day. Keep the ship afloat until tomorrow morning and then we'll take over and you can some time off." Zero nodded and turned to look at the holding cell door.

"Do I need to know who's in there and why?" Bobby looked at Les. Les subtly shook his head. Zero understood and he knew that he would find out when the time was right.

"We'll fill you in later. Get a rotation list set up for a guard at this door. NO ONE but me, Brown and Hector is to go into that room." Zero nodded and watched the two men walk toward the stairs. He still heard screams and whimpers coming from inside, so he knew Hector was still dealing with the prisoner.

Zero quickly ran upstairs and walked to the first man he saw. "Zip, I need you downstairs guarding holding cell one. NO ONE is to go inside except Santos, Brown, and Hector. I'll set up a schedule and bring it down to you later." Zip raised an eyebrow in question. "Don't ask. I don't know who it is, but Hector's in there with him right now. It doesn't sound like a pleasant conversation."

Zip nodded and immediately walked off the command floor to take his place by the door. It didn't really matter who was in there or why. He was given an order so he was damn well going to follow it. He was military and could follow instructions just like everyone else that worked at RangeMan.

####

Inside the holding cell, Luciano Sanchez sat in a steel chair in the middle of the room. He had several small cuts all over his exposed arms. Hector didn't mess around when it came to knives. He knew where to cut and he knew exactly how deep to cut as to not kill you. Hector knew the son of a bitch sitting in front of him couldn't die from his knives. Ranger would get the honor to end his life when the time finally came. Until then, he was a toy for them to play with.

Luciano was awake and had a terror filled look on his face. "Why am I here?" He stuttered out the words and Hector smiled. You could smell the fear all throughout the small room.

"You're here because you took something that didn't belong to you." Luciano narrowed his eyes.

"You mean that stupid puta? You can have her back. She wasn't that good of lay anyway." Hector stepped forward and pressed the knife further into his arm. Blood pooled around the blade and Luciano looked in horror as the knife sliced through his skin and muscle like a hot knife through butter. His agony filled scream bounced off the rooms walls.

Hector pulled his knife out and wiped it on Luciano's shirt. He then ripped a piece of fabric off the shirt and wrapped it around the wound. He glared one last time at the man and bent down so he was right in his face. "You speak about her like that again and my knife is going to be the least of your worries. Keep that in mind the next time one of us comes in here." Hector reached up and patted his face a little harder than normal and walked out the door. He nodded to Zip who was stoically standing guard and then made his way to the stairs whistling as he walked. It was a good night. Stephanie was alive and their light would be returning to them soon. He also got a chance to play with his blades. Any time he got to pull out his babies was a good time for Hector. As he walked up the stairs to his apartment, he was already making plans on how to use them again.

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A/N - Sorry this turned out to be kind of a filler chapter but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. : ) Tomorrow's chapter will be their time in Miami.


	27. Everything's Not Okay

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all for the amazing reviews of the last chapter. I've kind of fallen off the wagon with responding to each of them, but I do read every single one and appreciate them more than you'll ever know. Please keep them coming!

A huge hug and thanks go to Potterwench for her beta skills and for being such a good friend. Love ya girl!

* * *

**Chapter 27 - Everything's Not Okay**

Flying first class to Miami, Stephanie was sound asleep resting her head on Ranger's shoulder while he held the sleeping baby. He couldn't take his eyes off of his son no matter how hard he tried. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed in just a shot amount of time. A little over a week before, he had no life and no reason for living. He still thought she was dead. He had no clue about his precious son and he was attempting to move on from the heartache caused from Stephanie dying. A few days later, and now his life has totally changed!

He looked over at the brown-haired woman lying against him and smiled. Ranger was thankful that Stephanie insisted on finding a salon before they left LA. She hated seeing the blonde hair and she also wanted her curls back. As much as she used to hate them, she hated the long straight hair even more. The stylist was able to strip the color and remove the straightening chemicals. Her hair wasn't exactly back to its normal crazy curls, but it was closer than it was. Ranger could look at her and finally see his Babe.

The flight was almost over when Stephanie finally began to stir against Ranger. He leaned over to kiss her head and Stephanie couldn't help picking up her eyes and smiling at him. "How long have I been asleep?" Her voice was husky with sleep and Ranger couldn't help his body's reaction to her. Ignoring his lust, Ranger smiled back at her and watched as Stephanie stretched as best she could in her seat.

"Since before we took off. We're only about an hour away from landing. You must have been tired." Stephanie blushed thinking about the reason she was so tired.

"Well, if you hadn't kept me up most of the night then I wouldn't be so tired. You didn't let me sleep." Ranger wolf grinned at her and then chuckled.

"I didn't hear you complaining last night, Babe." His voice was deep which made her whole body ignite in flames. "I'll be sure to let you get adequate sleep tonight."

"The hell you will!" Stephanie sounded indignant and Ranger chuckled at the expression on her face.

"Okay, then I'll plan on keeping you up all night again tonight, too. Get some more sleep because you're going to need it." It was Stephanie's turn to laugh. She was looking forward to being up all night again as long as it meant being with Ranger.

Stephanie got up to use the small restroom and looked at her rumpled clothes in the mirror. She looked like hell, but she didn't really care. The guys picked her up a few changes of clothes, but they were guys and didn't know what she liked to wear. She would need to go shopping at some point while in Miami, but she had absolutely nothing to her name. No job, no cash...nothing, except her baby and Ranger. But then again, that was really all she needed.

She returned to her seat a few minutes later and saw Ranger feeding CJ a bottle. Stephanie smiled and plopped down next to him. "I need a mall. I need clothes and other things. Please tell me you live close to one." Ranger smiled at her and shook his head.

"There's a mall close, but you don't have to go. I had my housekeeper pick up some clothes and other things for you and CJ. Everything is waiting at the house for you both. You can either take that stuff back to Trenton with you or I can send Ella on a super secret shopping spree, your choice." Stephanie looked at him with awe.

"If I didn't love you before, I would now. You didn't have to go through all that trouble." Ranger tucked a brown lock of hair behind her ear.

"It was no trouble. All I did was make some calls. Gloria did the rest. I wanted you and CJ to be comfortable and knew you both needed some things." Stephanie melted more and couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes.

"Thank you, Carlos." He leaned over and kissed her lips tenderly.

"Anything for you, Babe. Let me know if you need something else and I'll send her out again." Stephanie nodded and leaned her head back on his hard shoulder. They spent the rest of the flight quietly. Ranger played with CJ and Stephanie watched her two boys through half-closed eyes.

Forty-five minutes after landing, Ranger escorted his family out of the airport and toward the waiting black BMW SUV. A muscled man in black tossed him the keys and Ranger had a whispered conversation with him. Stephanie caught his wide-eyed look toward her before he turned his attention back to Ranger. After a few more words and a sharp nod, the man walked toward another black car. Ranger loaded CJ's seat into the back and then got Stephanie settled before climbing into the driver's seat and pulling away from the curb.

The drive to his house was quick and quiet. CJ slept and Stephanie looked at the passing scenery as he drove. She wanted to take in every detail because she honestly thought she'd ever escape the nightmare that was her life for the past year. She never thought she'd be able have her own life again. A tear escaped as she thought about what she'd escaped, but she kept her head turned so Ranger wouldn't see it. She wanted to be strong for him. She wanted to make him proud and be tough, but on the inside...she didn't feel anything but scared and weak.

When Ranger pulled up and parked outside the garage, Stephanie slowly got out and looked at the house in front of her. It was huge and looked brand new. She waited patiently while Ranger unloaded CJ and his bag from the back seat. He punched a code into the panel hidden outside the garage door and stepped back so the door could open. Stephanie was lost in her thoughts when Ranger took a step inside. He turned around and looked at her for a minute.

He could see the fear in her eyes, but he didn't quite understand what she was scared about. The last year had been hard on both of them and he knew that they could get through it together. He was ready to make her forget everything that she'd been through, he just wasn't sure she was ready. "Babe? You coming?"

Stephanie jumped at the sound of his voice. She couldn't believe she let herself get distracted like that. She didn't want to tell Ranger, but one of his cars was the exact same make and model as one in Luciano's garage. Seeing that car parked in the garage triggered her memories and for a brief few minutes, she thought she was back at that house in LA with her captor and Stephanie couldn't help the fear from encompassing her.

She shook her head and plastered on a bright smile when she looked at him. Stephanie didn't want Ranger to read her internal thoughts. She was determined to be strong for him and their son. "Yeah, sorry, I'm right behind you." She walked up behind him and watched as he pressed a button to close the garage door. She followed him inside and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the room that she'd stepped into.

The kitchen was huge and had what looked like brand new top of the line appliances. There was a large breakfast bar with six stools surrounding it. The counter tops were black slate and the cabinets were dark wood. She would have never thought to use such dark colors in a kitchen, but they worked amazingly well paired with the shiny stainless steel appliances.

"I can see from your expression that you like the kitchen." Ranger sat CJ's seat down and wrapped his arms around her waist. "If you think this is nice, wait until you see the master bedroom." Stephanie smiled and turned slowly in his arms.

"Let me change and feed CJ and once he's down for the night, then you can show me anything you want." Ranger bent and kissed her deeply. Stephanie's toes curled when his tongue snaked into her mouth. Her whole body was on fire by the time he pulled away to let her breathe.

Ranger traced a finger down her face. "You do what you need to do. I'm going to make a few phone calls." Stephanie nodded and kissed his jaw before stepping out of his arms. "The nursery is the first door on the left up the stairs. Gloria was supposed to get it ready for him, so hopefully we have everything he needs." Stephanie smiled and picked up the car seat. She disappeared up the stairs and Ranger reached for his phone.

Tank answered on the second ring. "Yo Bossman. How's Miami?"

"Everything's fine. How's Trenton?" Tank shook his head. Even miles away Ranger still had to control everything.

"Running smooth. Our guest is in a little pain, but that's to be expected. The guys that know about him have been taking turns introducing themselves to him again. Santos spent an hour with him earlier." Ranger smiled.

"Tell them no one is to kill him. I want that mother fucker alive when we get there. Anyone suspect anything?" Tank got up and closed his office door.

"Nope. Some of the guys are curious, but they're keeping their nose out of it. No one suspects anything. So I hear we're having a party?" Ranger smiled.

"Yeah. I've got Ella working on it. Stephanie's coming back from the dead, so we thought it was reason to celebrate." Tank laughed. He knew there was going to be a riot in that building when she finally showed herself again.

"And you're introducing everyone to the Mini-Boss. It's going to be one hell of a night!" Ranger laughed this time. He couldn't wait to introduce his son to his family and friends.

"I'm offline until we arrive back in Trenton, but keep me posted about anything important. Did you hire Paul like we talked about?"

"Sure did. He stayed in LA to pack up his house. He's driving here in the next few days. I'll get him tested and set up before you all get back. Hal is beyond excited to have his cousin be part of the team."

"Good. He'll be a good addition to Trenton. Did Morelli find out who we buried?" Ranger ran his hand through his hair. He hated thinking about that period of his life, but needed the answers.

"DNA was a match to the missing prostitute. He notified the roommate personally. He told me once Stephanie comes back, he's going to pay to have the gravestone changed. Morelli also told me to tell you not to keep her all to yourself. She has family and friends here that want to see her too." Tank laughed at Ranger's grunt.

"She's mine for the next week at least." The annoyance in Ranger's voice was clear and it made Tank laugh harder.

"She's yours for the rest of your life, Carlos. I'll tell him to be patient. You guys have fun and relax while you're down there." Ranger grunted again and ended the call. He never bothered with saying goodbye.

He stood in the kitchen for a few minutes before setting the alarm and retreating up the stairs. He thought Stephanie would be done with feeding the baby and would be more than ready for the master bedroom tour. Of course he only planned on showing her the bed.

When he got to the nursery door, he stopped and quietly watched the scene in front of him. Stephanie was sitting in an overstuffed rocking chair holding CJ. Her eyes were focused on the baby and she was slowly rocking him while she quietly sang him a lullaby. Ranger's heart swelled with love. The two most important people in his life were sitting in front of him.

Stephanie was deep in her thought as she rocked her baby in her arms. She knew she was absent-mindedly singing a song to her son, but her mind was a million miles away. In Stephanie's mind, she was teleported back to that house in LA. In her mind, she was spending her allotted two hours with her son before he was taken away from her again. In her mind, she was Malena Sanchez, once again.

She felt the baby being lifted out of her arms and even though she didn't want to let him go, she knew there was nothing she could do about it. If she fought, she'd get hit again or worse, they would hurt the baby. Tears immediately fell from her eyes as her heart broke. "Please don't take him away from me. Please, just let me stay with him for a little while longer. Don't take him Luciano, please."

Ranger's heart broke hearing her plead with him. He immediately placed the baby back into her arms and watched as she clung to CJ for dear life. "Babe, look at me." She wouldn't look at him and she continued to get more panicked. He didn't know what to do. "Stephanie! I'm not taking him. I'm so sorry, Babe."

She still didn't stop crying or open her eyes. She held the baby tight to her chest and rocked back and forth. Ranger was at a loss on how to snap her out of her panicked state. He tried gentle words and touches, but nothing was working. He was at his wit's end so he grabbed her upper arms to turn her to face him. Her eyes were still closed but he angled her face right in front of his. "STEPHANIE!" He said her name with a slightly raised voice. It wasn't a yell, but she heard the frustration in his voice and thought it was anger.

The cold fingers of fear gripped Stephanie. In her mind, she made Luciano angry and when he got angry, he would hurt her or her son. She flinched away from Ranger and stood quickly. Ranger watched in horror as Stephanie cowered away from him and ran toward the corner of the room where she collapsed and curled up into a ball, protecting her son with her entire body. He'd seen the same thing in other abused women. She was making herself as small target as possible while she made sure no harm came to the baby.

He walked slowly toward her speaking softly as he moved. "Babe, please calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. Stephanie, please. You need to look at me. I'm not Luciano. I'm not going to do anything to harm you." She refused to move. She just sat in the corner and cried.

Ranger didn't know what else to do, so he sat down with her and pulled her into his arms. She tensed at first and then he felt her relax and melt into him. He stroked her hair and whispered calming Spanish words in her ears. He felt her tears splash against his arms and couldn't stop his own eyes from filling with moisture.

Minutes seemed like hours as he held the broken woman in his arms. His heart ached right along with Stephanie's. He knew she had been downplaying off the type and amount of abuse she went through when he asked her. After seeing her reactions that night, Ranger was sure that Stephanie had some serious issues that she would need help working through. PTSD was serious and he vowed to himself to get her the best person to help her through it.

After what seemed like an eternity, Ranger finally felt Stephanie calm enough for him to loosen his grasp on her. He used his finger to slowly lift her face so that he could see her eyes. They were still closed. "Babe, please open your eyes."

His voice finally penetrated the fog of memories in Stephanie's brain. She slowly opened her eyes to look at his worried face. Suddenly it hit her how she acted and she became really embarrassed. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry Carlos! I don't know what happened. I don't know..." Ranger placed a warm finger against her lips to keep her from talking more.

"Babe, please don't apologize. You have nothing to be sorry for. I should have thought before I just walked up and tried to take CJ from you. You've been through so much, Babe. I only made it worse." Stephanie could see the worry and regret on Ranger's handsome face. She hated knowing that she was the reason for those looks.

"You don't make it worse. You make it better. You make everything okay. Please don't pull away from me. Please..." She started to get frantic again and Ranger pulled her tighter into his embrace.

"God, Babe. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not pulling away. You're stuck with me." Stephanie calmed slightly hearing his words. "Let's put CJ to bed so you and I can go to our bedroom and finish talking. I have something that I want to discuss with you." Stephanie tensed again at his words. That phrase always scared her. "It's not bad, Babe. Well, at least I don't think it's bad. I have a favor to ask you." Stephanie relaxed again and nodded. She kissed CJ's head and handed him to his father.

"Can you put him in bed while I run to the bathroom? I need to clean up my face before we talk. I can only imagine how horrible I look." Ranger stood up and helped Stephanie stand. He ran his finger down a tear track on her cheek.

"You're always beautiful, Stephanie." She gave him a small smile before kissing her sleeping son and leaving him in the capable hands of his father. "Our bedroom is at the end of the hall and the bathroom is the door on the right as soon as you enter. Take your time." She smiled again before walking out of the room.

Ranger let out a long sigh as he watched her retreating back. He kissed CJ's cheek and placed him gently into the crib. After placing a thin blanket over the sleeping child, Ranger bent to whisper into his son's ear and said in Spanish, "Sleep little guy. Daddy won't let anything happen to you. You and your mother are my world and I will protect you both. I love you, Son." He gently kissed him again before turning on the baby monitor and shutting off the light. After one last look at the sleeping baby, he turned and walked toward the master bedroom.

Stephanie was just stepping out of the bathroom when Ranger walked into the room. She'd washed her face and found one of Ranger's T-shirts to wear to bed. Seeing her in his clothes stirred something in Ranger. He wanted her, but they needed to talk first. Ranger groaned and strode purposefully toward her.

When he was standing right in front of her, he traced her face again and bent to give her a tender kiss on her lips. She tried to take control but he pulled away, breathless, and rested his forehead on hers. "As much as I want to continue this, Babe; we need to talk about something."

Stephanie let out a long sigh and nodded her head. She turned and walked toward the large windows along one of the walls. Behind the house stretched the ocean and she loved watching the water crash against the sand. "What do we need to talk about?" Her voice was full of defeat.

Ranger walked up behind and wrapped his arms around her. "I don't want you to get angry or upset, but I think you should talk to someone." He felt her tense and decided to keep going. "There's no shame in getting help, Babe. I've talked to people after difficult missions. They've helped me and I think they can help you."

"You think I'm crazy?" Stephanie whispered the question making Ranger's heart break a little more. He slowly turned her around in his arms.

"I don't think you're crazy. I think you've gone through a very bad situation. The things that you've had to endure the past year have affected you negatively, whether you want to believe it or not. Talking to a therapist can help you work through all of that crap that you're keeping locked inside. Talking with someone can help you heal. I think you need to do this, Stephanie." She looked up into Ranger's eyes and saw how serious the situation was to him.

Stephanie knew exactly what she needed to do. She knew that she had some issues buried deep inside. She may look like her old self again, but she sure didn't feel like herself. Maybe a therapist could help her become the person she was once again. "Do you have someone in mind?"

"I have a close friend here in Miami that can help you. I'll call him real fast if you'd like me to. I'll call in a favor and you can meet with him tomorrow." Stephanie thought about it for a few minutes and nodded her head in agreement. Ranger smiled at her and then kissed her excitedly. He released her from his hold and grabbed his cell phone off his belt. "I'm going to make this call in the office. I'll be right back Babe."

Stephanie nodded again and let out a long sigh. Ranger kissed her quickly before walking out of the room. He wanted to make the call in private, so that he could give David a little background and he didn't want to talk about it in front of Stephanie.

Once Ranger was in his office, he dialed the familiar number and waited for his old friend to answer. "Well, if it isn't the famous Ricardo Manoso. What's it been Old Man, five years since you've needed me?"

Ranger smiled into the phone. "Something like that, David. And you need to watch who you're calling Old Man. Seems to me that you're a couple of years older than me." David chuckled. "Now, I'm not the one who needs you, but I'm calling in a favor."

David got serious when he heard the concern in Ranger's voice. "What'cha need? You know I'll do anything for you."

"My uh...future wife needs someone to talk to. She's been held captive for the last year and has some serious PTSD that she needs to work through. You're the best and I need you."

David sounded confused. "Future wife? The only girl I thought you'd ever marry was Stephanie but she..."

"She's alive. We found her and got her out. It turns out that I have a son, too. She's been through so much and I'm worried about her. Please tell me you can help." David heard the desperation in his friend's voice. There was no hesitation or doubt in his answer.

"When and where? I'll clear my schedule. I don't have much going on right now anyway." Ranger let out a sigh of relief.

"Can you come to the house tomorrow? We're here for a week and then we're heading back to Trenton. I hope you and she can spend a few days together and then maybe keep talking over the phone once we return home." Ranger swallowed and hoped that David would be able to be there for Stephanie.

"I'll be there." David reached and grabbed a notepad. "Now, give me some background."

For the next forty minutes, Ranger gave David the background information about what happened. He told him about the rescue and about Stephanie's reaction to him earlier that night. David didn't say much. He made some notes and listened to Ranger. After he'd gotten everything he needed, David agreed to arrive at the house sometime around noon the next day and the two men said goodbye. Ranger ended the call and let out a long sigh of relief. He knew David would be good for Stephanie to talk to and was thankful that his friend was so willing to drop everything to help.

When Ranger finally made it back to the bedroom, Stephanie was sound asleep in bed. Her hair was spread across the pillow and her hand rested in the empty spot beside her. She was waiting for him, so he quickly showered and slipped into a pair of black silk boxers. He slid into bed and pulled Stephanie into his chest. She sighed in contentment and relaxed into his arms. Ranger kissed her head and whispered into the quiet room, "I love you Babe. Everything will be okay. I promise you that it will all get better." Ranger relaxed and let himself fall into a deep sleep.

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A/N - There ya have it. Even though she's back with Ranger, not everything is okay in Stephanie's world. Her and Ranger still have some things to work through and that starts to happen in the next chapter which will be out tomorrow. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement through this story. I can't tell you how much it means to me!


	28. Help Comes in All Forms

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Here we go with the next chapter. Thank you all so very much for your continued reviews! I love reading that you all are still loving this story. We don't have very many chapters left to go in this epic journey. I'll be posting once a day until we're all through. I hope you enjoy todays!

To my beta, my best friend, Potterwench...thanks just isn't enough girl. We need to seriously find our muses and kick their butts back into gear. They're hanging out with the Merry Men on a beach somewhere and not doing their damn jobs.

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**Chapter 28 - Help Comes in All Forms**

Stephanie woke up the next morning to an empty bed. She stretched and looked around the large bedroom through half-closed eyes. She hadn't taken the time the night before to really look at the room. She saw that it was decorated beautifully with different shades of browns and beige. The large bed, she was currently lying in, took up most of one wall and it sat opposite a huge fireplace. There were overstuffed chairs positioned in one corner and a chaise lounge in front of the fireplace. There was a balcony outside a set of double doors that looked out to the beautiful ocean. Stephanie loved the room and the man who owned it.

Lying in her thinking position in the huge bed, Stephanie thought about what happened the day before. She hated that she allowed herself to get lost in the memories. She hated having to think about who she was and where she was. She hated feeling lost and scared; but she couldn't really help it. That's the reason she agreed to talk to someone so easily the night before. Stephanie knew she needed help and she hoped Ranger's friend could be the one to help her.

Ready to start her day, Stephanie rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom. After using the toilet, she washed her face and hands before fixing her hair as best she could. Without taking time to shower, it was the best she could do. She stood for several minutes looking at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn't quite grasp who the person was in the mirror looking back at her.

Her hair was back to brown, but it was still mostly straight. She didn't feel exactly like Malena, but she didn't feel like Stephanie either. She was confused and, to be honest, a little scared. She needed to see her son so she could center herself once again. When CJ was in her arms, she knew who she was. She was his mom and that was all she needed to be.

With a long sigh, Stephanie decided to escape the bathroom and headed out the door. She planned on throwing on a pair of pants and going to the nursery, but walking into the room, she spotted a bare-chested Ranger lounging on the bed. He was sitting back against the head-board and had his strong legs stretched out in front of him. He caught her hungry gaze and smiled at her.

"CJ's back asleep. I changed him and fed him, so he should be good to go for a few hours." Stephanie nodded and walked slowly back to the bed and sat down on the edge next to Ranger's legs. She was disappointed that she couldn't see her son. Her thoughts from the bathroom still swirled in her mind. Who the fuck was she?

Stephanie felt the bed shift and then a warm hand rest on her shoulder. "Babe?" A finger under her chin turned her head so that she could look at the man sitting next to her. "Are you okay? You're looking a little lost."

She felt a tear fall and turned her head away, so he wouldn't see her cry. His finger turned her head back to him and he wiped away the few tears on her face. His voice was whisper soft when he spoke. "What can I do, Babe? Tell me what to do to help you."

Hearing the tenderness in Ranger's voice made her stomach flutter. Maybe he could help her remember who she was. Maybe his touch could erase all the others. Stephanie swallowed the lump of fear in her throat and cupped his face. "I'm so confused about who I really am. I have all of these memories that I can't escape from. I need you to help me forget them and help me become your Babe again." She leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. "Make love to me Carlos. Erase his fists with your touch. Erase the memory of his lips on mine."

The pain in Ranger's heart upon hearing her words almost stole his breath away. She sounded so sad and so full of pain that he decided to do whatever she asked. He would try to erase every touch and every kiss from her memory. He would do anything for this woman.

Ranger leaned back and framed her face with his hands. His thumbs brushed the tears from her face and he slowly leaned down to capture her lips with his. He kept the kiss light at first, testing her emotional waters. He groaned when she pressed her lips into his more firmly and opened her mouth to allow his tongue to explore.

His tongue entered her slowly. He massaged the inside of her smooth mouth as his hands fell away from her face. He rubbed them down her arms to the hem of the T-shirt. Stephanie raised her arms so he could pull the shirt off her. They broke the kiss only for a brief second as the fabric passed over Stephanie's head. Immediately after it was gone, Ranger's lips returned to hers as his hands snaked around her to rub up and down her bare back. He kept his touch soft and tender as he touched her heated skin.

When breathing became necessary, Ranger pulled away and stood up off the bed. He brought Stephanie up with him and walked her to the chaise lounge at the end of the bed, in front of the fireplace. He gently forced her to lie back on the soft chair as he came down over top of her. They were both breathing heavily and both had matching looks of pure lust on their faces.

Ranger slowly began placing feather light kisses all over Stephanie's face. Any place that the monster could have laid his hands he kissed or stroked with his fingertips. Tears filled Stephanie's eyes at the gentleness of his touches as Ranger made his way down her chest. He saw a faded bruise on her upper arm and gently stroked it with his finger. "He'll never hurt you again, Stephanie. I hate that he put his hands on you and caused you so much pain." He kissed the bruise. "I don't know how anyone could mar your beautiful body with marks of violence." He moved his kisses to her other arm where another bruise stained her pale skin.

"I wish my kisses could erase those memories forever," Ranger whispered and kissed that bruise with such tenderness and love that it made Stephanie ache with emotion. "Since they can't erase the memories, maybe they can make you feel safe..." He kissed her wrist. "...they can make you feel warm..." He kissed her open palm and then moved down to her sides where light bruises were visible. "...and hopefully, they'll make you feel loved." He continued his exploration of her body and made sure that his lips met every mark that he saw. When he'd gone from the top of her head, to the tips of her toes, he moved back up her body and placed a tender kiss on her parted mouth. When he pulled away, her eyes were closed tight. He placed soft kisses on her closed eyes.

Ranger's voice was so soft that Stephanie barely heard it. "Open your eyes, Stephanie. Watch me while I love you."

Stephanie's eyes fluttered open and shimmered with unshed tears. Ranger's blank face was gone and in its place was every emotion that was currently flooding through his body. She saw fear, concern, and desire, but the most prominent emotion shining through his face was love. Stephanie let the tears fall from her eyes and Ranger quickly bent and kissed them away. "I love you so much, Stephanie Plum."

"I love you too, Carlos." He smiled down at her and lowered his lips back to hers. The time for talking was over, now it was time to permanently seal himself on her soul. His kiss became more heated and her hands worked their way underneath the waistband of his boxers. She pushed them down and ran her hands over his ass. Ranger groaned into her mouth. He pulled away long enough to stand up and remove the boxers along with her panties. When he came back down on top of her, Stephanie spread her legs so he was cradled between them.

~*~ Smut ~*~

Instead of returning to her mouth, his head dipped and he attached his lips to her taut nipples. Stephanie arched her back to press herself into his mouth more. She whimpered as he left one breast and moved to the other. She casually lifted her hips up to rub against his erection, but his hand moved to hold her in place. He backed away slightly to speak. "Oh no, Babe, we're going to go slow. I'm going to do everything I can to let you know exactly who you are." Stephanie whimpered as his mouth returned to her chest.

Ranger spent several minutes paying homage to Stephanie's breasts. When she thought he was done, he simply switched sides and continued kissing, nipping, and sucking. By the time he had finished, Stephanie was almost crying with need. She couldn't ever remember a time when she'd been so desperate to have him inside of her.

"Carlos, please." He smiled at her desperate plea. "Please what, Stephanie?" Ranger's voice was husky and laced with desire.

"Please make love to me. I need you inside of me." Stephanie explained on a half moan have whimper.

"Your wish is my command, my Love." Ranger positioned himself at her entrance and took her lips in a tender kiss as he slid home. They both sighed when he was fully sheathed inside of her. Ranger didn't move for several seconds. He simply peppered her face with light kisses and then fused their lips together.

Growing impatient, Stephanie started grinding her hips against his. Ranger took the hint and began to slowly move inside of her. He kept his strokes long and made sure to hit the places deep inside of her. Stephanie whimpered and moaned at his movements. Her eyes filled with tears again but Ranger quickly kissed them away.

He suddenly needed to feel her wrapped in his arms so he picked her up off the chaise lounge and she wrapped her legs around him. He sat down on the large chair and leaned back slightly. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist and he was now able to wrap his arms around her better and hold her close as he flexed his hips to move inside her.

Stephanie brought her mouth to his and moved with him in a lover's dance. She flexed when he did and the sensations were bringing them both higher and higher. Ranger could tell by her breathing that she was so close. He angled his hips perfectly, so that with each thrust he brushed against her outer bundle of nerves.

"Oh, fuck, Carlos!" Stephanie groaned as he continued his gentle assault. She buried her head into his neck and kissed his exposed skin.

"That's it, Stephanie. Lift your head and open you eyes. Let me see your eyes as you cum." Ranger pleaded with the woman in his arms. His hands kneaded and squeezed her butt. Her moans encouraged him to continue.

A few flexes of their hips later, Stephanie reached the edge of sanity. She was almost crying from the feelings coursing through her. Her eyes were open and locked onto Ranger's. He was standing on the cliff looking down with her and together they jumped.

Stephanie shattered, whispering Ranger's name, seconds before he let himself join in her bliss. He spilled his seed deep inside of her as her inner muscles clenched and milked every drop from him.

~*~ End Smut ~*~

When they'd both come down from their mutual high, Ranger hugged Stephanie tight into his sweat slicked body and placed a kiss on her dry lips. "You are Stephanie Plum, the love of my life and the mother to my son. Anytime you need a reminder, you come find me."

Stephanie's eyes filled again, but not because she was sad. She felt so much love that it was almost overwhelming. She could read the sincerity in his eyes and knew that he meant every word that he ever spoke to her. His kisses didn't erase the marks, but they did make her feel warm, safe and incredibly well loved.

"Thank you, Carlos." Ranger understood that she couldn't say more and kissed her again before lying back against the arm of the chaise lounge, bringing Stephanie with him. He held her in his arms and stroked her back. He could feel her tears run down his skin, but he didn't say anything. A lesser man might have been insulted, but he understood that her tears had nothing to do with him.

After several quiet minutes, Stephanie picked up her head and wiped her eyes. She looked at the man under her and gave him a small smile. "Sorry about that."

Ranger placed a finger over her lips. "Don't ever apologize for crying when you need to. You need to let go sometimes. You've been through a whole hell of a lot and it's expected that you'll be emotional. You don't have to be strong for me, Stephanie. I will love you no matter what."

Stephanie smiled and kissed him hard on the mouth. They were both breathless when she pulled back. "When is your friend coming to talk to me?" Ranger leaned back a little to look at the clock on the wall and grimaced.

"He'll be here in about an hour." Stephanie's eyes got wide and she climbed off Ranger.

"Holy shit! I have to shower before he gets here. I can't see him looking like...like..." Ranger stood up and took her into his arms again.

"Like you've been thoroughly loved?" He kissed her and then turned her toward the bathroom and gave her a soft pat on the ass. "Shower. I'll check CJ and then fix us something to eat really fast." Stephanie smiled at him over her shoulder and disappeared into the bathroom. Ranger watched her walk away and said a silent prayer that David could help her heal. He hated that she was so lost.

After throwing on a pair of pants, Ranger peaked in on CJ who was still sleeping soundly before making his way downstairs to fix some food. He had just finished fixing two sandwiches when Stephanie walked into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar. Ranger could see that she was nervous, so he slid a sandwich and a coke in front of her and then sat down on the stool beside her.

They ate in silence and Ranger had to constantly place his hand on her knee to keep it from bouncing nervously, up and down. When the sandwiches were gone, Ranger turned the stool so she was facing him. "Relax, Babe. You're going to like David. He was with the guys and me in the Rangers and he's a specialist in PTSD. He'll be able to help you." Stephanie trusted Ranger so she nodded and hopped up off her stool.

"I'm going to go up and see CJ before he gets here." It was Ranger's turn to nod and he sighed as he watched her walk out of the kitchen.

After cleaning up the kitchen, Ranger was going to head up the stairs when the gate buzzer sounded, alerting him that someone was waiting to get in. With a glance at the monitor, he recognized David's car and buzzed him through. He was early, but that didn't really surprise Ranger. He was standing with the front door open when David parked and climbed out of his car. They greeted each other with a hug and a slap on the back.

"Carlos, it's been entirely too long. How the hell are you?" Ranger chuckled at the older man's greeting.

"It has been too long. It's been a stressful year, but I'm managing." David looked at him skeptically. He could see the strain, anguish and exhaustion on his friend's face.

"Hmmm...let me be the judge of how well you're managing." Ranger showed David into the downstairs office and plopped down in the chair behind his desk.

"You're not here for me. You're here to help Stephanie." Ranger's voice made it clear that this was non-negotiable, but David just laughed.

"Don't give me that intimidation bullshit. It didn't work with me in the Army and it's sure as hell is not going to work now. I'm here to help both of you." Ranger glared at him from across his desk.

"I don't need help. I'm doing fine and if..."

David was the only man alive who could interrupt Ranger while he was speaking. Had anyone else done it they would have been beaten to a pulp or shipped to Zimbabwe. "Bullshit! You spent the good part of the last year mourning the love of your life. Just when you started to heal and move on, you find out that she's still alive and you go rescue her. During that time, you find out that you have a son, also. You're worried about her and you're not taking care of yourself. I know you, Carlos." It was David's turn to use the 'don't fuck with me voice'. "I spoke to Tank. He told me about the six months after the funeral and about you finally moving on. In a few days you lost everything and it almost killed you. Now that you have it back, you're going to kill yourself trying to keep it."

Ranger stared at the man for a few minutes in complete silence. He knew everything that David said was true. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. He was so focused on Stephanie and CJ that he wasn't taking care of himself. If he was honest, he hadn't been since he heard her voice on the recording. "You're right. I probably do need to talk with you some."

David smiled and nodded his head. "Let me spend some time with Stephanie, and then we'll talk before I head out. I can be back tomorrow to talk to you both if you think I need to."

"Let's see how today goes. Stephanie will probably need you more than me." David smiled again. He was looking forward to meeting the woman who had finally tamed the famous Ranger. "I'll go up and get her. She was going to spend some time with CJ."

David stood when Ranger did. "I'll go with you. I want to see how she interacts with the baby. I'm worried about what happened yesterday." Ranger nodded and motioned for David to follow him up the stairs. The both stopped in the open doorway to the nursery to watch Stephanie.

She was once again curled up in the rocker with the baby lying on her chest. She was absent-mindedly humming a song and stroking the child's back, but the look in her eyes let them know that she was somewhere far away. Ranger took a step into the room and spoke to her before he approached any further. "Stephanie?"

Hearing his voice, Stephanie shook her head and looked up at him. She noticed the man standing behind Ranger in the doorway and knew that he was probably the therapist. She saw the worried looks on both of the men's faces. "Sorry. I guess I was spaced out again, wasn't I?" Ranger nodded and held out his arms for the baby. He wasn't going to take him from her again.

Stephanie stood up off the chair and handed Ranger the sleeping infant. When David saw that it was okay, he entered the room and offered her his hand. "David Sinclair. So, you are the famous Stephanie Plum that I've heard so much about! It's a pleasure to meet you, finally."

Remembering her manners, Stephanie smiled and shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you David. I guess you're here to 'shrink' me, huh?" David laughed and shook his head.

"No, I'm not here to 'shrink' you. I'm just here to talk to you. Why don't you and I go back to the office and let Carlos handle the baby? Who...by the way, is absolutely gorgeous!" Stephanie smiled and looked at her sleeping son. She bent and kissed his head and then reached up and kissed Ranger on the jaw before letting out a long sigh.

"Let's get this show on the road, Doc." David laughed and followed her out of the nursery and back downstairs to Ranger's office.

Four hours later, they were still inside talking. Ranger had fed and changed CJ and carried him downstairs so he could keep an eye on him while he cooked dinner. He expected David to stay since it was getting so late and he knew that Stephanie would be hungry. He threw together a salad and then roasted some chicken and cooked rice. It wasn't anything fancy, but it tasted good and it would be healthy for them. He had just pulled the chicken out of the oven when he heard talking headed his direction.

Stephanie walked into the kitchen first and Ranger could see her eyes were puffy and swollen, so he knew she'd been crying. He sent David a hard glare as she walked into his open and waiting arms. Ranger felt a few shudders run through her body, so he just held her and let her draw whatever she needed to from him. After several quiet minutes, she pulled back and kissed him tenderly on the lips. "Dinner smells amazing. I'm going to go upstairs and clean up before we eat. Is that okay?"

"Sure, Babe, do whatever you need to do. Dinner can wait." Ranger bent and kissed Stephanie before releasing her from his hold. When she was out of hearing range, he turned to David who was sitting on a bar stool at the bar.

"So...what's your assessment?" David sighed and combed his hand through his hair.

"I'm only talking to you about this because she told me that I could. I take patient/doctor confidentiality very seriously." Ranger understood and nodded. "You were right to call me in. Stephanie is suffering from PTSD. Sometimes she still thinks she's in that house. She's getting flashbacks too. You witnessed one of those yesterday in the garage." Ranger raised an eyebrow. "One of your cars is the same as her captor's. Just seeing it parked there was enough to trigger her memory."

It was Ranger's time to sigh. "Christ! Tell me which car and I'll make sure it disappears. Maybe I'll let her torch it. I had no idea something like that could trigger negative memories."

"That's not your fault, Carlos. It's going to take her some time to deal with all the shit. She's been through a whole hell of a lot." Ranger looked at the other man. "When he found out she was pregnant, the beatings stopped, but the abuse didn't. He would berate her and call her all sorts of horrible names. After the baby came, the beatings started again. She would do everything she could to protect her son, so she pretty much did everything he asked. The nanny and Luciano threatened to kill CJ if she didn't behave. They used her own son against her and she feels so guilty for not being strong enough to protect him."

Ranger's heart was breaking hearing what Stephanie had gone through. He knew about the beatings and about the monsters threatening CJ. He just didn't know the severity. David let Ranger chew on that information for a few minutes before continuing. "She's also having problems with remembering who she is. She spent a year acting like Malena Sanchez while in public or around other people. When she messed that up, that was when the more aggressive beatings happened. It was smart getting her hair color changed back, but she's still having some trouble. Being in familiar places will help that."

"You think we should go back to Trenton early?" Ranger asked while picking up his cell phone to call the pilot. They would leave that night if it was better for her. David shook his head.

"No, I think staying here is good for her, too. What I meant was that when you do go back, being around familiar people and places will just continue to help her." Ranger nodded and put his phone back down. He was about to ask another question when he heard Stephanie's feet on the stairs. Anything else they needed to talk about would have to wait. His first order of business was to feed his Babe.

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A/N - There ya have it! Stephanie and Ranger are both getting the help they so desperately need. The next chapter will be Stephanie's big return back to Trenton!


	29. She's Back!

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

A huge thank you to everyone that reviewed yesterdays chapter! I'm sorry that I didn't respond to each of them individually, but please know that I read each one and loved hearing what everyone thought about the chapter. Please keep them coming. Here is Stephanie's big return to Trenton! I hope you all enjoy!

To my beta and dear friend, Potterwench...thanks just isn't enough, but it's all I got. Love ya girl!

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**Chapter 29 - She's Back!**

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Babe?" Ranger looked at Stephanie speculatively as they sat in the car down the street from RangeMan, Trenton. It was the night of the party. The night Stephanie officially came back from the dead and she was more than ready to see her family and friends again. David made sure both of them were prepared and equipped to resume their life in Trenton.

David Sinclair spent every day with Ranger and Stephanie while they were in Miami. He spent hours each day talking with them separately and even had some sessions with them together. It was during those sessions where Ranger and Stephanie's bond really grew. They loved each other before, but after the couple's therapy sessions, David could see true devotion and admiration pouring from them. They'd been through so much together as a couple, but instead of letting the darkness tear them a part, they clung closer together than ever before. David was confident that they'd both be extremely happy together for the rest of their lives.

Julie even sat in on a session when she stayed with them for the weekend. She was so thankful that Stephanie was still alive, and even apologized for pushing Ranger to move on with her teacher. After hugging her fiercely, Stephanie thanked Julie for looking after her dad when she wasn't able to. Julie watched her father and Stephanie closely that weekend and saw the love burning between them. She hoped one day she'd find a love like that.

The family session with David was a huge success. It was in that session that Ranger explained to Julie his need to move back to Trenton. Ranger thought, at first, that she'd be angry at him, but she understood perfectly and asked that she be allowed to come visit during school breaks. Julie spent most of that weekend with CJ. She was beyond excited to learn she had a little half-brother and did everything she could that weekend to take care of him. She even got up with Stephanie in the middle of the night when CJ woke up. Both parents were thankful for the teenager's assistance.

David's sessions with Ranger helped him understand that Stephanie was really back with him, and that she wasn't going anywhere. Ranger had spent many nights awake, watching her sleep because he was afraid what would happen if he went to sleep. He didn't want to wake up and learn that it was all a dream again. He couldn't handle that much pain a second time. David also helped him cope with the sudden changes in his life. He went from a single guy starting to date, to having a ready-made family. David never doubted that Ranger loved Stephanie deeply, but it was still a big change for him to come to terms with. During their last session, David gave Ranger some sound advice. "People say that you don't know what you've got until it's gone. The truth is you know exactly what you've got; you just didn't ever think you'd lose it. But now you know exactly what that feels like. Don't let that fear stop you from enjoying your life again."

Ranger felt better about everything after that. It was true that he was terrified to lose her again, but he refused to let that stop him from living his life and loving Stephanie. There were so many things that he wanted to experience with Stephanie and he couldn't do those things if he was so focused on the past. Ranger couldn't live in fear any longer, and David helped him understand all of that.

Stephanie's treatment was a little more difficult to handle. She had a year's worth of trauma stored up in her brain and David had to help her work through all of that garbage, so that she could begin heal. Her sessions with David were more intense and often ended up with Stephanie crying for most of their meeting. But by the end of their week in Miami, she'd started to really make some strides toward her recovery. He helped her understand that it was okay to remember the past, but she couldn't let what happened affect her present and future. He told her on their last visit, "Healing yourself is connected with healing others." He encouraged her lean on Ranger and to help him heal, also. Hearing that seemed to be exactly what she needed and Stephanie began to improve more and more each day.

She still had some flashbacks, but she was usually able to center herself back into reality rather quickly. She'd been thinking less and less of herself as Malena and had spent almost every morning staring in the mirror repeating the phrase, "I am Stephanie Plum." It helped, too, that her curls were slowly coming back. She'd only had one bad breakdown during that week and that was only because Ranger and Julie took CJ out for a walk on the beach while Stephanie was napping. She woke up and freaked out when she couldn't find him. Ranger found her sobbing in the nursery when they came home. Luckily David was still there working in the office, so he and Ranger were able to talk her through the episode. After that, Ranger made sure she always knew where CJ was. He didn't want to cause her any more undue stress. He hated seeing her so emotional.

Before leaving Miami, they had both agreed to put David on speed dial in case they needed to talk to him while they were in Trenton. They didn't think they'd use it, but it made them feel better knowing that they could. David drove them to the airport and gave them both hugs before they loaded onto the private jet to go home. He knew watching them fly away that they were going to survive and that he was going to be seeing a wedding invitation in the mail very soon. Ranger spilled those beans during one of their sessions.

Shaking her head of the silent reverie filling her mind, Stephanie turned to Ranger and smiled brightly. "I'm positive that I'm ready. I'm ready to move on with our lives, Carlos." Stephanie reached over and smoothed the crease that had formed when he furrowed his brow at her. She'd waited a little too long to answer his question.

"Then let's get this show on the road." Ranger leaned over and kissed her cheek before picking up his phone and sending a text to Tank who was in charge of scrambling the cameras, in order for Stephanie and Ranger to make their grand entrance undetected. Everyone important was waiting, already there and mingling amongst each other. Most people had a solemn look on their face. It was a night to honor Stephanie and everyone in that room missed her terribly. Stephanie requested that her family be at the front of the room, so she could see them first. Tank guaranteed that they'd be in position and that everyone was ready when he responded to Ranger's text.

Ranger drove the car into the underground garage and parked. Ranger stepped out and pulled out the sleeping baby from the back. Stephanie got out of the car and adjusted her dress. They'd gotten into Trenton earlier that day and gone to Ranger's house to rest and get dressed for the party. She was wearing a pale grey wrap dress that clung to her curves and a pair of three-inch heals. Her curly hair was down and wasn't quite back to its normal craziness, but it was getting there. CJ and Ranger were wearing matching Hugo Boss suits. They looked so freaking cute that Stephanie teared up when she first saw them. They were the perfect little family walking through the garage toward the elevator.

Stephanie snuggled into Ranger's embrace as they rode the elevator to the second floor where the banquet hall was located. The quiet chatter of people could be heard in the hallway. The music playing didn't drown out the talking, so Stephanie knew that there were a whole lot of people in there. They stopped outside the door and Ranger turned to Stephanie and handed her CJ. "I'm going to go in and make an announcement. Stay here until you hear me call for you." Stephanie nodded and reached up and kissed him on the lips. He smiled brightly and then disappeared into the large room.

Stephanie stood outside the door and listened as Ranger took the microphone from the DJ for his speech. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention and when the room quieted, he started talking. "I want to thank each and every one of you for coming tonight. I realize that it was short notice, but that didn't stop any of you from coming out to honor Stephanie. It's been almost a year since she was taken from us and I know that there's not one person in this room that doesn't miss her terribly." Ranger looked around the room and saw tears in most people's eyes. Although there was a group of RangeMen in the corner that were suspiciously smiling, and Ranger sent them a death glare before he continued.

"I called you all here tonight in order for us celebrate her life, however that was just an excuse to get you all in one room." Hushed whispers spread throughout the room. "Almost a year ago, a little girl came to me and begged me to help her find her aunt. She never believed that Stephanie was dead and needed my help to find her. Where's Mary Alice at?"

Ranger asked and MA jumped up and stood on her chair. "Right here, Mr. Ranger." Smiling, Ranger walked toward the little girl and stopped directly in front of her. Even though she was a year older, she looked almost the same and Ranger could still see the fierce spark of determination that he saw a year ago. Smiling, he continued speaking.

"I owe you an apology." Mary Alice looked at him with one brow raised. Ranger chuckled because Stephanie would be upset if she saw that her niece accomplished what she'd tried so hard to. "I gave up hope and stopped looking for Stephanie. Did you ever give up?"

Ranger turned the microphone toward the little girl who shook her head vehemently. "No. Grandma Mazur and I have kept looking without your help. We both know that Aunt Stephie is still out there and we'll find her." Frank Plum was about to say something to his granddaughter, but Ranger stopped him.

"What if I told you that I believe you?" Mary Alice's eyes got wide at Ranger's words. "I believe you because I have something to show you." Ranger put the microphone down and walked toward the door. Every eye in the room was on him and when he opened the door, gasps and dropped glasses shattering on the tables were all that was heard as Stephanie stepped through the door holding a baby boy.

Mary Alice was the first to react. "AUNT STEPHIE!" She jumped from her chair and ran to her aunt's arms. Stephanie bent down and brought her into a hug with her free arm. The little girl had tears flowing down her face and her voice was broken by sobs, but Stephanie understood exactly what she said. "I knew you were still alive. I never gave up! NEVER! Even when the mean Mr. Tank came. I kicked him and told him he was mean."

Stephanie had tears streaming down her face and her voice was thick with emotion but hearing her niece say she'd kicked Tank made her chuckle. "I know MA. I know you never gave up. I could feel it! I could feel you looking for me."

Standing up, Stephanie adjusted CJ and looked toward her family. Most everyone was speechless but Helen found her voice first. "Stephanie? My God! Oh my God!" She pulled Stephanie into her arms and sobbed against her shoulder. "What, how?"

"It's a long story and not one that I want to get into tonight, but I'll tell you about it soon." Stephanie stepped back and held out CJ. "Would you like to hold your grandson? His name is Carlos, but I call him CJ." Helen cried harder as she took the baby from her daughter.

Once both of her arms were free, Frank pulled Stephanie into a fierce hug. There were tears in his eyes and he wasn't ashamed. "Pumpkin! You have no idea how good it is to see you!" Stephanie sobbed into her Dad's chest as he held her close. She couldn't help it. She'd always been a Daddy's girl.

When he finally let her go, Helen stepped up with CJ and handed him to Frank. "Meet your grandson, CJ." Frank looked at the baby with awe. Stephanie looked around the room at all the waiting people, so she turned to her parents. "Will you two watch him while I make my way around the room?"

"Of course, Stephanie," Helen kissed her daughter before letting her go. Stephanie made her way around the entire room. Mary Alice never left her side as she walked around getting tearful hugs.

Stephanie's grandma held her tight and wiped the tears off her grand-daughters face. "I knew I'd see you again, Baby Grand daughter. Welcome home."

"Thanks, grandma." Stephanie wiped her eyes again and continued her walk around the room.

Mary Lou held her for a good ten minutes and sobbed. Stephanie promised to spend a day with her later that week catching up. Lula and Connie made her promise to come to the office the next day to talk to them. Joe even cried a few tears when he finally got to hug her. Even though he knew she was alive, it still didn't hit him until he wrapped her into his arms. His fiancé was right beside him and didn't look like she minded her future husband crying over another woman. She understood their relationship and respected what they had.

The Merry Men that had been left out of the loop hugged and spun her around the room. A few had tears in their eyes and every one of them threatened to kick the group's ass that knew she was alive. Stephanie laughed. The next few days on the mats were going to be interesting.

She made her way through the crowd of stunned people. She lost count of the hugs she'd received and of the tears shed. Ella was just as emotional as Stephanie's own mother. She kept muttering in Spanish with tears streaming down her face. Stephanie was the closest thing she'd ever had to a daughter and Ella loved her dearly.

Ranger stood in the back corner by himself taking everything in. He watched Stephanie work the room and get hugs and kisses from almost everyone there. He tensed when she walked into Joe's arms even though he knew he had nothing to worry about. Ranger was secure in their relationship, but old habits tend to die hard. Tank walked up to him and slapped him on the shoulder bringing his attention off Stephanie.

"You doing okay, Bossman?" Tank was concerned for his friend. He knew Ranger talked with David, but didn't know what they'd been able to accomplish.

"I'm perfect. Couldn't be happier." Ranger smiled as he watched Stephanie talk to Carl and Big Dog.

"Good to hear. So when are you going to make it permanent with her?" Tank chuckled at Ranger's glare. He was not intimidated by Ranger. "Don't give me that look. I still have your ring waiting for you in my safe. I noticed that you left it behind when you left for Miami."

"I never thought I'd need it, but if you still have it, I'd like it. I'll be giving it to her soon." Tank smiled and looked at the woman working the room. She really was beautiful. Stephanie could make just about anyone fall in love with her. The strange thing was she didn't even realize that she had that power.

"I'll bring it to the office tomorrow. You guys staying at the house tonight or are you staying here?" Ranger looked at Tank and raised his brow.

"Why didn't you ever move into the penthouse after I left?" Tank shrugged and turned his attention back to the room.

"Didn't feel right. That's your crib and I refused to invade it. Ella had it cleaned and equipped with all the baby stuff you could possibly need. I told her my sister was coming to visit with her son. She believed my story and got it ready for you." Ranger chuckled and shook his head. Ella deserved a raise.

After a few more minutes of conversation, Tank left Ranger standing in the corner to dance with Lula. The mood of the room changed after a few minutes of Stephanie's arrival. The sadness lifted and it turned into a real party. Instead of tears and sobs, laughter and jokes filled the room. Ranger smiled to himself as the woman of the hour seductively walked toward him. She had a huge smile on her face and a sexy swing in her hips. When she was close enough, Ranger opened his arms for her to walk right into them.

They held each other for several minutes just enjoying the contact. Ranger breathed in her scent, as Stephanie listened to his steady heartbeat. She let out a long sigh and tilted her head up so she could look at him. "Thank you for tonight. This was the perfect plan. Everyone found out at the same time, so no one's feelings were hurt." Ranger smiled down at her and brushed some curls away from her face.

Noticing the absence of her niece, Ranger smiled and asked, "I see you lost your sidekick. Did MA get tired of working the room?" Stephanie giggled and shook her head.

"No, she had to go to the bathroom. Val took her. I'm sure she'll find me again soon." Ranger brushed some nonexistent hair away from her face. He just wanted to touch her any way he could. "I've got plans lined up with people for the next month. It's insane."

"No, that's good, Babe. Everyone here missed you." Ranger laughed and kissed her forehead.

"You're not angry about that are you? I guess I should have asked you before making plans with everyone." Stephanie bit her lip worrying about Ranger's reaction.

"Its fine, Babe. As long as you save most of your evenings and every night for me, I'm cool with whatever you want to do. I might need to do some work from the office, so I'm glad you'll have things to keep you busy. Just plan some time to spend here with the guys. I'm not sure I'll get any of them to work the day you're here though." Ranger chuckled. Most of the Merry Men were in a group watching Stephanie and they kept trying to wave her over to them. "You'd better go see them before they put together an operation to take you from me."

Stephanie glanced at the group of men and smiled. "Okay. CJ's with my Dad sound asleep. Come find me later." Ranger nodded and dropped a kiss on her lips before letting her go. As much as he wanted to stick close to her side, he'd had her to himself for a week and wanted to give her space to talk to her friends and family. It was hard, but he managed.

Several hours later, most of the guests had already left and only the Merry Men and Stephanie's parents remained. They were all sitting around several tables laughing and joking. CJ was still passed out, but this time he was resting against Ranger's chest. Stephanie wished she had a camera to take a picture because it was the perfect shot. Frank was telling the guys about his days in the Army. All the guys were engrossed in his story when Helen leaned over to whisper to her daughter. "I never thought I'd get to see this." Stephanie glanced to where her mother was staring. Ranger was listening to her father, but his eyes were trained on CJ. "He really does love you and CJ. He's going to be a wonderful husband." Stephanie smiled and nodded.

"He already is, mom." Helen looked at her daughter and then down at her left hand. Stephanie laughed. "No, there's no ring on my finger, but that doesn't mean that we aren't already married. We haven't had a ceremony or whatever, but that's just for show. We're married where it matters." Helen saw the truth in her daughter's eyes and smiled, happily.

"I know that dear. I just hope that when the time comes, you'll let us all enjoy the show as you so gracefully put it." Stephanie started laughing and Helen joined in. When they stopped, Helen cupped Stephanie's face. "I love you, Stephanie and I am so proud that you are my daughter."

Tears filled each set of blue eyes. "I love you too, Mom." Stephanie hugged her and held her tight for several minutes. They didn't break their hug until Frank cleared his throat beside Helen.

"We need to head home, Honey. We'll see Stephanie and CJ tomorrow for dinner." Helen wiped her eyes and stood up. She kissed CJ's head and hugged Stephanie once more before walking out of the room with her husband.

When it was just the Merry Men left in the banquet hall with Ranger and Stephanie, Hector spoke up and asked the question most of them had been anticipating. "Boss, our guest downstairs has been left alone too long. When do we get to play with him?" Stephanie looked at Ranger who just shrugged.

"That's up to Stephanie. It's her decision regarding what happens to him." Stephanie was shocked. She knew exactly who was downstairs and she knew exactly what she wanted to do with him, but could she order the torture and execution of another human being?

Stephanie's mind wandered to the man sitting down stairs. She remembered every slap, every punch, and every kick. She remembered every cruel word and every threat. Her eyes fell on her sleeping son. Her mind filled with the memory of one particularly bad night. Luciano was paranoid about her leaving and after hitting her over and over, he leaned down and pulled her up by her hair so he could spit into her face. The words he spoke will forever be etched into her memory because they were filled with such hate. "Remember something, you stupid Bitch. IF...and that's a big if...but IF you do happen to escape from me with your son, then you can guarantee that I will find you. I will hunt you down and I will finish what I started. You will be forced to watch your son bleed to death after I slit his throat. You will be helpless to stop me. And then, after he is dead, you will die a very slow and very painful death. I will not rest until you and that bastard are dead!"

Those words screamed through her mind and she realized that he wasn't a human being. He was a monster who would destroy her and her son. She had all the faith in the world that he would keep his promise if he lived. She looked around the table at all the guys watching her. Ranger was the only one not looking at her. His eyes were fixed on CJ. His hand was stroking the sleeping baby's back. Stephanie knew that she would do everything in her power to protect that innocent life and just like that, she made her decision. "You all can have a turn playing with him but KEEP him alive." Ranger looked up and his chocolate eyes met her blue ones. "He will die a very painful death, but that honor falls to us."

Ranger searched her eyes for something and when he saw it, he nodded his head in agreement. He had never been so proud of her. Knowing Stephanie's heart and compassion, Ranger knew leaving the fate of Luciano to her was a gamble; but he also knew exactly what she'd been through. It was David who suggested he let her decide the other man's fate since she was the one who was mostly affected by him. She suffered the most and she could have just said kill him, but she also understood that each of the men sitting around the table had been affected by what happened and that every man wanted revenge.

"Wait a second! You're telling me the mother fucker who caused all of this shit is the son of a bitch sitting in our GOD DAMN HOLDING CELL?" Ram finally figured everything out and was beyond pissed. Les laughed and slapped him on the back.

"Damn Ramsey. You're a little slow tonight." The table laughed at Ram's obvious disgust at himself. "I'll take care of setting up a schedule, Beautiful. We'll make sure the guy is still alive for you and the Boss Man." Lester stood up and kissed Stephanie's head before leaving the room. The rest of the guys followed his lead. They were all anxious to start playing with their latest toy.

When everyone left, Stephanie stood up and walked to sit next to Ranger. She gently rubbed CJ's back and looked into Ranger's worried gaze. She could read his thoughts just like he was speaking them to her. He was worried about her making the decision to kill Luciano. Stephanie smiled, leaned forward and kissed him passionately. "I made the right choice, Ranger. I'm okay with this and I'll be okay with it next year." Stephanie sucked in a breath and stroked his smooth cheek. "That monster threatened my child and I believe that if he's alive, he'll make good on that threat. I'm protecting myself and my child and also protecting you. It's the right call to make." Ranger saw the determination and absolution in her eyes. He knew she made a choice that her conscience could live with. That satisfied him.

Ranger's voice was husky and full of pride when he spoke. "Proud of you, Babe." Stephanie smiled and looked at the sleeping baby again. She was ready for bed, but nowhere near ready for sleep.

"Let's go to bed Batman. Tomorrow's going to be a long day and I'm in need of your TLC before going to sleep." Ranger smiled and leaned in to kiss her with a kiss that spoke of love and admiration. They stood together and walked hand in hand out of the banquet hall. Ranger had a whole list going in his mind on how to treat her to his special form of TLC. He just needed a bed and a whole lot of time, luckily he had both.

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A/N - There you have it. Everyone knows she's alive. What did you think? Take a minute and leave a word or even a smiley face. Good, bad or ugly, I still want your opinions. Thanks all! Tomorrow's chapter is all about revenge! :D


	30. Revenge is Best Served Cold

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all for the reviews and the smiley faces. I have to admit that they made me smile! We've only got two more chapters, plus the epilogue after this one and I plan to post every day until it's finished.

To my beta and dear friend, Potterwench, thank you for all your hard work on this story. It wouldn't have been done without you!

I'm putting a graphic violence warning on this entire chapter. If violence isn't your thing, feel free to just skip it and pick up tomorrow's chapter! :)

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**Chapter 30 - Revenge is Best Served Cold**

Right after Les got the word from Stephanie, he was already plotting out his game plan for the man downstairs. He wanted a piece of him, but was going to wait his turn. He knew every man inside the Trenton office wanted the chance to show Luciano Sanchez just how bad he fucked up when he took their light away. Being a master strategist, Les knew exactly how to set up the rotation and went to the conference room to get busy on it. He wasted no time slotting the guys into their spots and thinking in his own mind the best form of punishment for the man who hurt his Beautiful. Les was so involved in the schedule, that he didn't hear the rest of the guys walk into the conference room to see what he'd come up with.

"Who's up first, Santos?" Les look up and smiled at Tank's question. Tank could tell that whatever Les had planned, it was going to be painful for Luciano.

"I figured we'd go by seniority. Zip, you're up first. You've got ten minutes with him. Do what you want, but DO NOT KILL HIM. Tell the guard at the door he can go once you get down there. Don't leave that room until the next person in line is there. I don't want that son of a bitch left alone." Zip smiled maniacally and nodded.

"Manny, you're after Zip, then Woody. Same rules apply." Manny and Woody both nodded and left the conference room. Woody needed to change and then get something from his room, as he had a special gift in mind for their prisoner.

Zip, hearing that he was first, ran to his truck to grab his tool kit. He didn't live in the building so he couldn't change, but he wouldn't need to. He didn't intend on getting any blood on himself. He walked by the contract worker that was guarding the holding cell and nodded. "You're free to go. Thanks for working tonight." The contract worker nodded and left the holding cell area. Zip didn't care where he went, that guy wasn't his problem.

The man sitting in the middle of the holding cell looked absolutely pathetic. Zip recognized him from Columbia immediately as he walked into the room. He had no idea how or why Sanchez targeted Stephanie, but after Zip was done playing he was going to find out.

Zip placed his tool kit on the metal table anchored to the floor of the cell, opened it and then dug around until he found the tool he was looking for. He pulled out the needle-nose pliers and turned toward Luciano. "I remember you. I watched through my scope as your wife died. It was very sad to see her get shot by one of your father's men."

Luciano glared at Zip, but Zip only laughed at the pathetic man. He was chained to the chair so Zip wasn't worried. He could glare all he wanted. Luciano wasn't able to do a damn thing about it. "Were you really sad when your wife died? Did you really cry for her? Did you really mourn her?" Zip kneeled down in front of him. "Are you ready to pay for what you've done?" Luciano sneered his response.

"Did you mourn your bitch when you thought she was dead? Did you cry for her? I've had her for the past year. I was the one touching her and fucking her." Zip stood up and punched him in the jaw to shut him up. He didn't know the extent of what had happened to Stephanie, but he prayed that she wasn't violated like that.

"You will not talk about her." Zip moved around behind Luciano where his hands were cuffed. He put the pliers on one of his nails and leaned down to whisper into his ear. "Say goodbye to your finger nails, man." He ripped the whole nail off his finger and smiled as the man screamed in pain. He stepped back and watched him thrash around. Once Sanchez had calmed down, Zip stepped back up and put the pliers on the next nail. Again, he ripped it out very slowly. Luciano's scream filled the room again making Zip very, very happy.

Zip continued to systematically remove the man's nails until Manny stepped into the room carrying his toys. Zip knew his time to play was over, but was satisfied when he saw the tears staining Luciano's face. He nodded to Manny, put his tools back away and took his kit back out of the room. Zip knew Luciano had a lot more men waiting to cause him severe pain.

Manny placed a car battery on the metal table and pulled out the jumper cables. Ripping the buttons open on Luciano's shirt, Manny clamped one end of the cables to his nipples and then stepped back to the battery. "You know, it came as a SHOCK..." He attached the other end of the clamps to the battery and watched as electricity filled Luciano's body. "...to me when I heard Stephanie was still alive. I thought my Wifey was dead." After a few seconds, Manny removed the clamps from the battery, but left them attached to the man. After letting Luciano's body calm down from the previous electric shock, Manny continued talking. "It probably came as a shock to you when you woke up here and realized that you failed." Manny clamped the cable back onto the battery and watched as Luciano flopped around on the chair, screaming in pain.

After a few more seconds, Manny unclamped the cable from the battery and the man. Squatting down in front of him, Manny smirked. "You failed and now, you're going to suffer and die. I hope you enjoy your last few hours of life." Woody walked into the room then and Manny gathered up his tools. With a nod, he left Woody to do his work.

Woody watched Manny leave and placed his items on the table. He started whistling "We Will Rock You" as he turned on the butane torch. Once he had that lit, he walked over to the chair whistling. He used his knife to cut the man's shirt off the rest of the way, then returned to the torch and the metal brand lying beside it. He held the Dallas Cowboy's star metal brand into the flame, making sure the heat touched all of it. After a few minutes, the metal glowed bright red and Woody knew it was ready.

Still whistling, he walked to Luciano and smiled when his eyes got wide. "Don't flinch or it hurts more." Woody chuckled as he positioned the burning metal over Luciano's left arm. In one thrust, Woody shoved the brand into Luciano's arm and smiled when the man's agony filled screams echoed off the walls and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. Woody held the brand in place until it was cool. As he pulled it back, brunt flesh came off with it. Woody smiled at his handy work and returned back to the torch. Still whistling, he once again heated up the branding iron and went to the other side of Luciano.

Woody repeated the process on the right side of Luciano's body. Screams once again filled the air making Woody giggle like a school girl. He was having fun and was disappointed when the door opened and Binkie walked in.

Binkie made a face at the smell in the air and then saw the brands on Luciano's arms. "Damn man. Why couldn't you at least use a decent team's logo? I have a Packers G in my room that would have looked better than that shit." Woody laughed and shook his head. The office football rivalries would never get old. He was from Dallas and only rooted for the Cowboys while Binkie was from Milwaukee and loved Green Bay.

"Even I wouldn't defile him with Packers shit. That's just mean." Woody gathered his stuff and walked back to where Luciano sat. He slapped him on the newly branded arm. "Nice talking to you, man." With that, Woody smiled at Binkie and left the room.

Binkie wasted no time in extracting his revenge. Like every other guy in the building, he loved Stephanie. She was like a little sister and he blamed himself when she died because he failed to protect her. He was going to make this son of a bitch pay. Binkie bent down and removed the man's shoes and socks and then pulled out his knife.

He put his knife in between his big toe and the next one, keeping his knife resting against the webbing between the toes. He looked up at the man and sneered as he pulled his knife down, slicing his skin. Luciano's voice was hoarse from his previous screams, so the sound just came out like a gruff yell. Binkie didn't mind though, he still saw the pain and agony written all over the other man's face.

After all the webbing of one foot was shredded and bleeding, Binkie moved to the next foot and repeated the process. He was just finishing his last toe when the door opened and Zero walked in. Binkie finished his task and stood up. He wiped his bloody knife off on Luciano's pants and slapped him across the face lightly a few times. "It's been fun, buddy." After nodding to Zero, Binkie left the room whistling.

Zero took stock of the man and knew exactly what he wanted to do. He wasn't one to play with knives and he didn't bring anything else in with him. He didn't want to get blood on his suit, so he slowly and deliberately broke every finger on Luciano's hands. They were already missing the fingernails, but that didn't bother Zero. He simply walked over and snapped them all like twigs. All Luciano could do was whimper through the pain each time he heard the snapping of his bones. Zero didn't mind though, he was still satisfied with the outcome. He looked down at his handy work. Luciano's fingers were all twisted and pointing in obscure and different positions. After he was done, Zero stood back to watch Luciano cry as he waited for the next man to take his turn.

Junior walked in a few minutes later and smiled at Zero as he passed him on the way out. Junior didn't even need to think about what form of torture he wanted to extract. It just so happened that he had the all the materials necessary in his room too. He smiled seeing Luciano's shirt was already off so his job was much easier. He walked up and squatted down in front of Luciano while he pulled out a long needle and smiled. "You remember me? I was at a party in LA. I was the one who brought your whole house of cards down. I was the one who recognized Stephanie." Luciano's eyes grew wide in recognition.

"I knew you'd remember me, but let me tell you a little about the man who destroyed your fantasy." Junior smiled and stood up. "Before I joined the Army, I owned my own tattoo and body piercing shop. This needle..." Junior held up the item. "I'm going to shove it through your nipple and put in this ring." He held up a large silver hoop.

"Now, I know what you're thinking. That's not too bad? People do it every day." Junior shoved the needle into the man's nipple. Luciano tensed but didn't scream. Junior threaded the silver hoop and let it dangle down. He moved to the other nipple and repeated the process. When both nipples were pierced, Junior stood up and smiled.

"See, that wasn't too bad was it?" Junior glanced at his watch and knew he had a few more minutes to play. "You know...you're pretty smart. I mean, you kidnap Stephanie and keep her for a year. You use her baby to control her. It was a good plan and you'd still be living the good life if not for one thing." Junior glanced at his watch and smiled as the door opened. He walked to Luciano and put his finger in the hoops of each nipple ring. "That one thing that ended your happy little life...was...me!" At the last word, he ripped each ring out of the man's flesh ripping and tearing the sensitive skin. That action got the desired scream. Satisfied, Junior smiled at Vince as he walked out the door.

Vince used to be a golden glove boxer so his weapon of choice…his fists. He spent his ten minutes using Luciano as a punching bag. He felt ribs breaking and made sure to hit both tender branding spots over and over making Luciano cry out for mercy. He would never get mercy. He didn't deserve it. Vince stopped hitting when the door opened. He spit on the man and then left. He needed to go to the gym. Ten minutes wasn't enough time to work out his frustration and anger. Vince figured some of the other guys were there too.

Rodriguez and Hector stepped in together. It wasn't Hector's turn to play, but Rodriguez needed help, so Hector volunteered. Hector drug Luciano over in front of the table. He lifted him up easily and laid Luciano on his stomach over the table. His bare back was exposed and Rodriguez stepped up with his whip. The first snap of the whip broke the skin on Luciano's back. Hector held Luciano across the table as Rodriguez whipped him over and over. By the time his ten minutes were up, the man's back looked like it had been shredded by a large cat. Blood oozed out of the numerous open welts.

Rodriguez grabbed Luciano by his hair and threw the man back into his metal chair, so that he could see Luciano's face. It was tear-stained and contorted in pain. "You are a worthless piece of shit! You failed at everything you've ever done. You're pathetic and you have hours to think about the sad state of your fucking life. You tried to destroy her, but you failed. She's back with us and she'll live. Stephanie and her son survived your hell and she'll go on to be happy. You...you will die a very painful death." Rodriguez spit on him and walked out of the room. Luciano's whimpers and cries followed Dante out the door. Hector stayed behind until the next man showed up.

Ram stepped in next and smiled at the handy work of his coworkers. He knew he wouldn't be disappointed. His smile grew when he saw the Cowboy's stars. He was a Saint Louis fan, but still had respect for the team. He pulled in his tools and got them set up. Ram was excited about playing with his toy.

He brought a large block of wood in and placed it between Luciano's feet. The man had no strength to move, so Ram wasn't worried about Luciano messing up his plan. Ram angled his toy's feet so his toes were sticking up and his feet were resting on his heels. Ram then grabbed the sledgehammer. With one swing, Luciano's left foot was broken and his scream filled the small room. Ram whistled as he walked to the other side. He gave the man a few minutes to register the pain of the break before repeating the same swing on the right foot. Another scream made Ram smile brightly. He was having so much fun.

Ram was still whistling when the door opened and Hal and Paul walked in together. Hal looked at Luciano and shook his head. "Are you channeling Kathy Bates man? That's brutal shit." Ram smiled, gathered his tools and left the two men to have their fun.

Hal and Paul both pulled up chairs and sat down on either side of Luciano. They both pulled out two huge cigars and clipped the tips with Hal's handy tool. Paul pulled out a lighter and lit his cigar before passing the lighter to Hal. They both puffed away on their cigars and chatted about the weather. Luciano was getting really nervous because both men were pretty much ignoring him. Hal reached around behind Luciano slowly and slipped the cigar clipper over one of his broken fingers. The next second, the finger tip was lying on the floor behind him and Luciano was crying again. Hal passed the clipper to Paul and they changed the topic of their discussion to sports.

Paul clipped the next finger and laughed as he watched it fall to the floor. For the next twenty minutes, the men clipped and talked about random things. All the while, smoking their cigars like it was perfectly normal to clip a man's finger tips off and it was something they did every day. They laughed and joked as each tip splatted on to the floor.

Cal walked into the room and shook his head at the two men. Hal smiled and stood up. Paul followed suit and they were both ready to leave, but stopped to put out their cigars right on Luciano's bare flesh. Hal chose a spot on his neck while Paul went a little lower and put it out right below the mutilated skin that used to be his nipple.

The air filled with the stench of burning flesh once again, but none of them cared. Luciano's scream was music to their ears. Paul and Hal left with a nod to Cal as he took stock of the pitiful sack of bone sitting in front of him and shook his head. He was a poor excuse for a human being. Cal pulled out his power drill and pulled up a chair and sat beside him. Cal smiled at Luciano before pressing the power drill to his knee cap and turning it on. It didn't take much pressure to make the bit begin to drill into the muscle, ligaments and bone. Luciano screamed making Cal smile wide at his pain and had to yell so Luciano could hear him over the sound of the drill and above his own scream.

"I hope you're realizing now that you fucked up. You took something pretty important to us." Cal smiled but kept his focus on the drill. "Now that Stephanie and CJ are back where they belong, I bet you're feeling pretty stupid. Aren't you?"

When the drill bit was fully planted into his knee, Cal reversed the drill and slowly brought it back out. Then he stood up and moved to the other side and repeated the process on the opposite knee. He was just pulling the drill out when Hector walked back in carrying an extra-large dildo and that was it. Cal shuddered and quickly gathered his things to leave. He had no desire to watch Hector work.

Hector picked up Luciano again and laid him face first against the table. His feet were broken so he couldn't stand, but that didn't matter. He hung in the perfect position for Hector's torture. He slipped out his knife and cut away Luciano's pants. He was totally naked now and fully exposed. Hector didn't even hesitate to shove the giant rubber cock into Luciano who screamed at the invasion, making Hector smile. He left the dildo in place and pulled his knife out again. He made deep cuts up and down the back of the man's thighs and butt. With every cut, Luciano squirmed causing the giant rubber cock to move and cause even more pain.

After his ten minutes were up, Hector shoved the dildo in one last time before pulling it out. He shoved the man back to the seat causing him to sit on his newly shredded butt and thighs. Bobby stepped in and shook his head at Hector.

"He got what was coming to him." Hector shrugged and left the room. Bobby, being the medic, took a few minutes to check out the man's injuries. His pulse was low, but steady. Not wanting him to pass out, Bobby gave him a shot of adrenaline and then loaded up another syringe with a new drug he'd been playing with. It was the latest tool in the government's torture arsenal. It was basically harmless, but once injected would make the subject feel like their insides were on fire. It spread quickly and only lasted a few minutes, but those minutes were spent in sheer agony.

"I'm a medic so it goes against my nature to do harm, but for you I'm willing to make an exception." Bobby smiled at Luciano and injected the drug into his arm. A second later, Luciano started screaming and flailing around on the floor.

Bobby stood back and laughed as he flopped around crying and screaming. He was making his other wounds worse which would still ache even after the drug wore off. That was the beauty of it. Bobby barely lifted a finger and caused him more pain than anyone. It was perfect.

Luciano was still lying on the ground when Les stepped into the room. Luciano was covered in blood and piss, but was still breathing so that was all that mattered. Les smiled and motioned to Bobby to help him pick up the sad excuse for a man. They got him seated back into his chair and Les grabbed his knife and got ready to play. Bobby knew that whatever Les had planned, it was going to be bad. After a nod, Bobby walked out of the room and left Les to his torture.

Les stepped up and cut the corners of Luciano's mouth. Just two small cuts was all it took. Then he stepped back and punched him in the stomach. Luciano screamed in pain and the cuts got a little bigger. For the next five minutes, Les found the most painful places on his body to attack talking to Luciano between the hits.

"You know, I was the one who your wife died protecting. The guard was aiming at me and she stepped in front of the gun." Les moved and punched him in the left arm brand. Another scream filled the room and the cuts grew a little more. "I watched you clutching your beloved wife as you cried." Les punched the right arm eliciting another scream. "Did you really love your wife or did you beat her like you did Stephanie?" A punch to the freshly drilled knee made the cuts grow even bigger. "Even with your beatings and psychological bull shit, Stephanie survived. She's happy and you're pathetic. She wins, you lose!" Les' last punch was right to the man's balls. By the time Luciano was done screaming, the two small cuts stretched from the corners of his mouth all the way up to his ears so he looked like a crude Joker. Les smiled at his handy work and high-fived Tank on his way out the door.

Tank was one of the last men to get to play, so there wasn't much left of Luciano, but he didn't need much. Stephanie and Ranger only asked for him to be alive with one body part still attached. Tank intended to make sure that happened for his friends. He pulled out his knife and stepped up in front of Luciano.

The first thing Tank cut off was his eye lids. Then, with a flick of the wrist one ear fell off and splattered on the floor. Next, Tank took off his fingers at the middle knuckle. He was going to cut off his nipples, but they were already missing. He made a mental note to congratulate Junior for that. Since the nipples were out, Tank moved down and flayed the skin off his thighs and shins. When his ten minutes were up, Tank stepped back and looked at the man. He was alive and his most prized possession was still intact for Stephanie to take care of.

He turned and looked at Stephanie and Ranger as they walked in. Stephanie looked at Luciano and sucked in a breath. Ranger smiled a full smile at the sight in front of him. Tank nodded to the pair and left them to finish what Zip started almost three hours before. It was early in the morning, but Ranger and Stephanie wanted to get the job done before going to sleep. They'd spent the three hours making each other scream in ecstasy instead of agony and now, they were ready to end a miserable life.

Stephanie stepped up first and walked to where Luciano sat in the chair. Tears filled her eyes seeing the man, but she quickly pushed them away. She bent down so that he could see her. "Hi Luc!" Her voice was cheerful and almost sounded giddy. "You know that you fucked up, right? You fucked up big time when you decided to take me. You fucked up even more when you decided to keep me. Now, all of this pain and all of this agony has been your fault. You caused all of this." Stephanie picked up her booted foot and placed it right over his pathetic excuse for a dick. She put gentle pressure on it and listened to him scream. She put more pressure on it as she leaned over to whisper into his ear. "You will NEVER touch me or my son again. You are no longer a problem for me because you will soon be in hell." She pressed harder on his dick and even twisted her boot crushing it further.

"I'm done with you." Stephanie spit on him and turned back to Ranger. She kissed him passionately. "I'm going to go relieve Ella from watching CJ. Hopefully he's still asleep, if so, I'll be in bed waiting for you." She kissed him again. "I love you, Carlos."

"I love you too, Babe." Ranger watched Stephanie walk out the door and then turned to the man sitting in the chair. He had to admit that the guys did an amazing job. He just had to do one last thing. He pulled out his knife and stepped behind Sanchez. With one hand he lifted his chin up so he could place the knife against his neck.

"You fucked with the wrong woman and now you will pay with your life. You tried to break her, but you failed. You will never again lay a finger on her or MY son. Death is too good for you, but I'm done fucking with your pathetic ass. Enjoy hell mother fucker!" Ranger pulled the steel of his knife across Luciano's throat and stepped around in order to watch him bleed to death.

He barely noticed Tank, Lester, Rodriguez and Bobby standing behind him. The five men stood and watched the life drain out of Luciano Sanchez and all of them smirked when he gurgled his last breath and slumped off the chair. They were all silent staring at the man who almost destroyed their lives and who made the last year hell for each of them. "It's over, Ranger. Go enjoy your life. We'll take care of this mess." Ranger nodded to Tank and walked out of the room. His cock was already twitching for the woman lying in his bed. He honestly didn't think he'd ever get enough of her and planned on making sure she was thoroughly satisfied for the rest of her life. With the monster dead, he knew that it was time to start their life together. Tank was bringing him the ring and all Ranger had to do was ask the question.

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A/N - Well...I know it was probably hard to read, but I'd LOVE to know what you thought. Which Merry Man was your favorite? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours! :D


	31. Royal Treatment

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you all so much for the reviews! I'm glad that you all liked the painful torture chapter. It wasn't very Christmasy, but hopefully the next three chapters make up for it.

Potterwench...thanks girl for EVERYTHING you've done for me! And I'm not just talking your beta work. You're an amazing friend and I would be lost without you! Love ya!

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**Chapter 31 - Royal Treatment**

Two weeks after Stephanie's return to Trenton, everything had finally started to calm down. Stephanie and CJ spent their days catching up with family and friends all over town. Everyone wanted to see her and the baby, so she was extremely busy being pulled in multiple directions. She made sure to spend time with her family first and then she spent a couple of days with the guys at RangeMan. The rest she divided up her time between the bonds office and the police station. Her days were busy, but Stephanie always made sure her evenings were clear to spend with Ranger. Those were her favorite times of the day and she refused to share them with anyone but him.

Ranger made sure to be done with work every night by six. He and Stephanie would eat dinner together in the apartment and then they'd take CJ to the living room and spend time together as a family. They'd sometimes turn on a movie or game, but mostly they sat and talked. CJ stayed awake during those hours and would coo and giggle at his parents. Ranger often told him stories about growing up in Newark and later Miami. Stephanie loved hearing the little Carlos stories and couldn't wait to look at his baby pictures.

The Saturday of that second week, Ranger finally took Stephanie and CJ to meet his parents. His mother had been nagging him to bring her and the baby over, but their schedules hadn't lined up for it to work. When it finally worked out, Ranger's parents fell in love with Stephanie and CJ just like he knew they would.

Ranger rolled his eyes at the giggling women as they looked at albums and albums of baby pictures. He and his father took the opportunity to sneak out to the garage to enjoy some Cuban cigars. Ranger knew a lecture was coming the second his dad motioned him outside.

Once the cigars were lit and the Brandy poured, the elder Ricardo Carlos Manoso looked at his son and smiled. "So, you finally found your maiden?" Ranger chuckled and nodded. His Abuela Rosa's favorite story to tell her son and grandson was the Aesop Fable about the lion falling in love. The gist of the story was when a fierce lion fell in love with a maiden and asked her family permission to marry her, they required him to first remove his teeth and claws. He was so much in love that he did what the family wished, but when he approached the maiden she laughed at him. The moral of the story was that with love, it's possible to tame even the wildest of beasts.

In his youth, Ranger's father was just as rebellious and wild as his son. His mother would tell him that he would one day find his maiden and that she would tame him. She, of course, was right and when he met Ranger's mother, Lucia, he settled down and they started their family. When Ranger was younger and wild, his grandma told him the same story and told him that he would one day find his maiden. Ranger didn't believe her until he met Stephanie.

"I did find her and then I lost her, but I was lucky enough to find her again." Ricardo smiled and puffed on his cigar. He was proud of the man Ranger had become and he was worried when Stephanie supposedly died. He saw the anguish and agony in his son and knew there was nothing he could do to make it better for Carlos. Ricardo tried to imagine how it would have felt to have Lucia taken from him so early in their relationship, but couldn't deal with the pain that those thoughts caused. Ricardo had no clue how Ranger survived the year without Stephanie.

"So when are you going to make her your wife? You treat her as such, but yet you don't make it real. Why?" And there was the lecture Ranger knew was coming. He was actually surprised that it took his dad so long to bring it up.

"Soon, Papa, very, very soon. I have the plans already in motion and I am just waiting for one last detail before it all happens." Ricardo smiled in approval at his son.

"You are Cuban, so you will make it special, no?" Ranger had to hold back from rolling his eyes. "You know the story of my proposal to your mother. I set the bar high, but I know you can meet it. You will make this moment special for Stephanie and you."

"You did set the bar high, but I think I can pass it. What I've got planned is going to be nothing short of amazing." Ricardo looked at his son quizzically. He could see the twinkle in his eyes and knew that he, indeed, had something special planned for the beautiful Stephanie. Ricardo trained him well, so he had faith that his son would knock Stephanie off her feet.

When the cigars were gone, the two men went back inside and found Stephanie and Lucia both crying together on the couch. His mother held CJ who looked a little worriedly at the two emotional women. Ricardo plucked the baby from his wife as Ranger raised an eye brow at his mother and sat down next to Stephanie. "Babe, what's wrong?"

Stephanie laughed and wiped her eyes. "Your mom just told me the most amazing story." Ranger looked at his mom over Stephanie's head.

"Which story was that, Babe?" Ranger already knew the answer to his question, but wanted to hear it anyway.

"The story of how your Dad proposed to her. Oh my god, Carlos! Your Dad is so romantic." Stephanie wiped a few more tears away and looked at CJ resting comfortably in his Grandpa's arms.

Ricardo chuckled and kissed his wife on the head. "Thank you, Querida. I'm glad you approve. You know my son is very much like me." Stephanie giggled and nodded her head.

"Oh, I know just how romantic your son can be. That is one of the many things that I love about him." Stephanie turned around to look at Ranger. Seeing all the love in her eyes caused him to bend his head to kiss her lips lightly. They each wanted to make the kiss deeper, but knew they were sitting in Ranger's parent's house. Not the best place to make out. Both Ricardo and Lucia smiled and looked at each other knowingly. They were extremely happy that their son had finally found his soul mate.

After a few more hours of conversation and laughter, Ranger and Stephanie said goodbye so they could head home. They were both lost in thought and were silent the entire drive back to Haywood. On the drive, Ranger was second guessing his proposal plan. He'd heard the story of his father's proposal all his life and wanted to make his to Stephanie just as memorable but he didn't know if his ideas topped his father's beach proposal with hundreds of sea shell's spelling out the important question. Shaking off the thoughts, Ranger decided to just stick with the plan that he'd come up with and returned to his zone for the rest of the trip home.

Stephanie sat staring out the window and watched as the scenery flew by. She really enjoyed spending time with Ranger's parents and was excited to meet the rest of his family. She hadn't yet met all of them, but they were going to a full family party later the next month. Ranger's family from all over the country were gathering in Miami for his Abuela Rosa's 90th birthday party in three weeks. Rosa lived down there with Ranger's brother and his family so the party was being held at his house. Ranger and Stephanie had already agreed to be there and Stephanie was anxious but excited to finally meet the entire Manoso clan.

A week after meeting his parents, Ranger put his proposal plan into motion. Everything was arranged and Ranger knew that night was going to be something to remember for him and his Babe. He'd worked out every detail and knew that Stephanie was going to love it. That morning, Stephanie woke up to an empty bed with a note lying on the empty pillow beside her.

_Babe - Today is all about you. Breakfast should be waiting for you in the kitchen. Eat quickly and then be in the garage at ten o'clock. Rodriguez is escorting you to Bliss where you will be pampered within an inch of your life. Don't worry about the cost, get whatever treatments that you wish. You deserve it. CJ will be spending the day with me in my office, so you don't need to worry about him. Focus on yourself today, Babe. I love you! ~ C_

Stephanie smiled and held the note to her chest. Her stomach was all squishy and she loved that feeling. She rolled out of bed and slipped into her robe before walking out to the kitchen. She found a plate of Ella's chocolate chip pancakes waiting for her. She savored every bite she could and moaned her way through the entire meal. It was absolute heaven.

Glancing at the clock, she saw that she enjoyed breakfast a little too much and was running behind. She quickly jumped into the shower and washed quickly. She didn't care about doing that good of a job because she was just going to get dirty at the spa. She saw a mud bath and wrap in her future. After her shower, she threw on yoga pants and a t-shirt, slipped her feet into flip-flops and headed out the door. She had a few minutes before she had to be in the garage so she stopped by Ranger's office.

She smiled when she saw him sitting behind his big desk with the little baby sitting in his lap. He was engrossed in paperwork and didn't notice her standing there until CJ saw her and got excited. He started bouncing in Ranger's lap causing him to glance up. When he saw her, Ranger's whole face lit up with a huge smile.

"Babe, how is your morning?" Stephanie approached the desk and kissed him passionately before picking up her son and kissing his chubby baby cheek.

"My morning is already amazing, but it's about to get much better. You sure do know how to treat a lady." Ranger smiled at her words.

"Of course I know how to treat my woman! There's much more to come today too, but you'll learn about all that later." Stephanie looked at him through narrowed eyes trying to see if she could read his mind to tell what he had planned later. Ranger just laughed and shook off her gaze. "Not going to work, Babe. My lips are sealed and my brain is firewalled. You're going to have to wait to find out what I've got planned." Stephanie stuck out her bottom lip like she was pouting. Ranger stood up and sucked that lip into his mouth and nipped at it playfully causing Stephanie to moan into his mouth. CJ was squished between them and didn't like his new position, so he started to get fussy. Ranger pulled back and tickled his son to calm him down. "You need to head downstairs so you're not late. I'll see you later this afternoon."

Ranger bent down and took CJ out of her arms and gave her a passionate kiss. Stephanie kissed him back and then dropped a kiss on her sweet son before almost skipping out of Ranger's office. The guys all laughed to themselves as they watched her prance by. The mood in the whole building changed dramatically when Stephanie returned to them. Laughter was once again heard on every floor. Their light was back, so the guys were happy.

Down in the garage, Rodriguez lounged against one of the fleet SUV's. He smiled when the elevator dinged and Stephanie stepped off. She was smiling a full, beautiful smile and was almost dancing her way to the SUV. He knew all the plans for her that day and he knew that she was about to get a whole lot happier.

"Dulzura, you are stunning. What has you so happy?" Rodriguez hugged her and helped her into the SUV before climbing into the driver's seat.

"I'm just happy. It's a good day!" Stephanie beamed in the passenger seat making Rodriguez laugh.

"Well hold onto your seat because it's going to get much better." Stephanie looked at him with wide eyes.

"You know so you have to tell me. You're my partner, we tell each other EVERYTHING!" Rodriguez laughed louder and shook his head.

"No can do, Dulzura. Ranger swore me to secrecy. Don't worry about it. Just sit back and enjoy the ride." Stephanie flopped back into her seat and let out a huff. It didn't faze her partner though. He wasn't going to break.

The pair pulled up to the spa twenty minutes later. Rodriguez led Stephanie into the elaborate building and laughed at her stunned expressions. The woman waiting for them in the lobby chuckled too. She approached them with a wide smile. "Welcome to Bliss. You must be Stephanie. My name is Claire and I'll be your guide for the day."

Stephanie shook herself out of her stupor and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Mr. Manoso spoke with me earlier this week and told me to treat you like a queen, so I've booked you the elite package. It will take about five hours to complete and comes with a complementary light lunch. If you want to skip anything or add anything, just let me know. Do you have any questions?" Stephanie looked at Rodriguez who smirked at her.

"What are you going to do for five hours? Don't tell me you're just going to hang out here?" Rodriguez was touched at her concern for him. He chuckled and pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry about me, Dulzura. I'm going to sit right here and wait for you. I have a new game called Plants vs. Zombies for me to play." Stephanie laughed and slapped his chest.

"You have fun with that. I'm going to go get my pamper on!" Rodriguez laughed and watched Steph and Claire walk toward a large wooden door and disappear behind it. He sat down in the comfy chair and pulled out his phone. He had a whole lot of time to kill.

Stephanie's pampering started with a luxurious hot salt scrub that lasted sixty minutes and ended with a Vichy shower that Stephanie just loved. Next she went to the waxing room where she got almost all the excess hair removed. She didn't go for a full Brazilian, but it was close.

After the waxing, Stephanie walked stiffly to a private room and ate a light lunch that came with complementary champagne. She was already relaxed and knew she had more to come. When she finished lunch, Stephanie got the fully loaded facial which was their ultimate facial experience. It included a deep cleansing, a fruit acid wash, oxygen wrap, skin-type-specific rubberizing mask, a head/neck/shoulder/arm/foot massage, a hair treatment and an O2 blast. Stephanie felt like Jell-O by the time they were done making her beautiful.

Next she went into the massage room and got a relaxing rub down that hit all the spots the previous massage missed. She could barely peel herself off the table when the masseuse was done. Claire then led her into the salon, where Stephanie got her hair cut and styled. When the stylist turned her around in the chair, Stephanie couldn't believe her eyes. Her hair was swept up in a gorgeous Grecian up-do. It was piled on top of her head with a few random tendrils hanging down.

As she was sitting in the chair, a make-up professional came in and expertly fixed her face. The quality of the products they used were amazing and looked almost natural and felt light. She made a mental note to ask where she could buy them when she was done.

With her make-up completed, Claire led her to a private dressing room. Stephanie was confused but Claire just pointed to the room and smiled. Stephanie shrugged and followed her finger. Inside was a dress bag with a note attached to it. She smiled when she noticed Ranger's beautiful handwriting. She smiled even bigger as she read the note.

_Babe - I hope you enjoyed your pampering. You truly deserve to be treated like a queen. Inside the bag is a new dress for you to wear tonight. You and I have reservations at an exclusive restaurant and I knew you'd want to look your best. Everything you need should be in the bag, if not then let Claire know. She'll get you whatever you need. Take your time getting ready and Rodriguez will make sure you get to where I am. I can't wait to see you again, Babe. I love you. ~ C_

Stephanie read the note again and set it aside. She slowly unzipped the bag and sucked in a breath. The dress that hung on the door was absolutely stunning. It was a dark brown Grecian draped dress. She slowly slipped it on and sucked in another breath. It fit perfectly! It hugged her curves in all the right places, but was light and feathery so it didn't cling or look too baggy. It had a deep V bodice that went all the way down and met at the empire waist with gold embroidery. The front was a little shorter than the back and hit her right above the knees. Stephanie felt beyond sexy and knew that Ranger would think so too.

Along with the dress was a white lace thong. She pulled it out and slipped off the underwear she was wearing and slipped on the new thong. It was the most comfortable thong she'd ever put on. The shoes she pulled out went with the whole package. They were Tory Burch Cuba snake-print leather sandals, 4.5 inch heels, with gold-tone buckled details on the front and an enclosed heel with an exposed zip fastening at back. Stephanie loved them instantly, but fell in love with them more as she slipped them on.

She turned and looked in the mirror at the finished product and almost cried. She'd never felt or looked so beautiful and couldn't wait for Ranger to see her. She'd be surprised if the dress stayed on very long once he saw her. Luckily they'd be in public, so he'd have to resist tearing it off of her.

Stephanie jumped at the sharp knock on the door. After calming down, she turned and opened the door to see Claire standing there. Her eyes got wide and a huge sincere smile spread across her face. "Holy fuck!" She immediately slapped her hand over her mouth and then giggled. "Oh my gosh. Don't tell anyone I said that. I like my job!" Stephanie laughed out loud and turned to grab her clothes.

"Your secret is safe with me! I think I got everything, so I guess I'm ready to go." Stephanie turned around and Claire was holding up a beautifully wrapped package.

"This is most of the products that we used on you today. There's also an ordering guide in case you want to buy more." Stephanie smiled and tried to take the large package from her. Claire shook her head.

"I'll carry this out for you. Your very handsome sidekick is waiting for you. I must say...you're one lucky woman. The guy that I spoke to on the phone obviously loves you and you have the guy out there falling at your feet." Claire shook her head as she led Stephanie out to the waiting area.

Rodriguez was engrossed in something on his phone when Stephanie walked out the door. He glanced up, hearing a noise and then immediately looked back down. The vision that he saw for a brief second registered and he slowly raised his head. When he took in the whole package that was Stephanie Plum, his mouth went dry and he instantly grew hard behind his cargos.

When he didn't say anything for a few minutes, Stephanie started to fidget in nervousness. She couldn't read his mind, so she had no idea if she looked okay or not. She finally had too much of the quiet. "Do I look that bad, Dante? You haven't said anything since you've seen me."

Hearing her voice snapped the naughty thoughts from running through Rodriguez's mind. He stood quickly and approached the beautiful woman. He didn't hug her, because he didn't want to wrinkle her or let her feel just how much he was affected by her. Instead he placed his hands around her upper arms and kissed her cheek. "Dulzura, you are beyond gorgeous. I was stunned by your beauty."

Stephanie blushed hearing his words and then smiled at him. "You're sure it's not too much?"

"God NO! Ranger's not going to be able to keep his eyes or hands off you!" Rodriguez chuckled and kissed her again before dropping her arms. He took the package from Claire and the bundle of clothes from Stephanie. She was hesitant to give it to him because her previously worn underwear were in there, but she eventually gave it to him after he promised not to look in between the pants.

After Stephanie thanked Claire over and over, Rodriguez led her out the door. Stephanie's breath caught again when she noticed the long stretch limo parked outside the door. Rodriguez led her to the door and opened it for her. "Climb in and I'll go around to the other side." Stephanie looked at him and then excitedly climbed into the car. She was amazed at the amount of space inside the vehicle. Rodriguez closed the door and ran around to the other side. As soon as his door closed, the car pulled away.

The car ride took about thirty minutes, but Stephanie couldn't see where they were because the windows were tinted and it hurt her eyes to look out of them. She trusted the man sitting beside her and she trusted the man she was driving toward, so she wasn't worried.

When the car stopped, Stephanie began to get nervous. Rodriguez turned to her and took her hands. "Alright, Dulzura this is where you need to trust me. I've been asked to blindfold you to take you to Ranger. Are you okay with that?" Stephanie hesitated for a minute before nodding her head. Rodriguez kissed her cheek and then slipped the handkerchief over her eyes before loosely tying it behind her head. He did his best not to mess up her hair and did a good job staying away from the elaborate up-do.

Once the blindfold was in place, he climbed out of the car and walked around to the other side. He opened her door and slowly helped Stephanie out. "Leave everything here. I'll make sure it all gets back to the apartment on seven." Stephanie didn't hesitate to drop her purse back into the limo. She knew if he said he'd take care of it, then he would.

Rodriguez took her hands in his and led her into a building and onto an elevator. Stephanie waited patiently as the elevator climbed upward. There wasn't a ding, so she didn't know exactly what floor it stopped on. Her surroundings seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't place exactly why. Rodriguez led her a few steps and then stopped. "We're going to go up three stairs, okay?" Stephanie nodded and climbed the stairs without problems.

She heard a door open and then realized that they were outside again. Her mind couldn't wrap around that fact, so she was really confused as to where she was. Rodriguez led her a few more steps and then stopped her forward movement. He stepped up behind her and leaned in close to whisper into her ear. "You're here, Dulzura. Enjoy your night." He untied the blindfold and stepped away. He didn't stick around long enough to see her reaction. His job was done. After nodding to Ranger, Dante turned and walked back to the door. Stephanie was exactly where she belonged.

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A/N - I had to split the proposal chapter in two because it started getting entirely too long. Tomorrow's chapter will actually be the actual proposal. Do you have any idea where Ranger and Stephanie are?


	32. Will You?

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, for all the reviews. I'm still a little blow away by all your support and encouragement throughout this story. I truly appreciate you taking the time to leave me a few words. They are what keeps me writing.

Another thanks and a giant hug to my beta, Potterwench. Without her, this story wouldn't be near as good.

And now...on with the show!

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**Chapter 32 - Will You?**

Once Stephanie's eyes adjusted to the new light, for the millionth time that day, her breath caught in her throat as she looked at where she was standing. She recognized where she was immediately, but it looked nothing like what she remembered. It had been a long time since she been in that spot and it took her breath away.

The roof of the RangeMan building had been transformed into a beautiful flower garden. Elevated planter boxes lined the entire edge and were overflowing with the most beautiful bushes and flowers that Stephanie had ever seen. In the middle of the roof sat a comfortable looking bench seating area that was surrounded by more flowers and bushes. Lined throughout the roof were solar lights that glowed with a soft gleam and created the perfect, romantic ambiance.

Toward the back corner sat an elaborately decorated table. Covered dishes waited patiently for the couple to devour them and candles flicked in the gentle breeze. Stephanie could smell the aroma of the food over the flowers and even though she ate lunch, she found herself starving for what was hidden under those domes.

All thoughts of food left her mind when her eyes finally landed on the man standing beside the table. He was dressed immaculately in a custom-made Armani suit that was grey, not black, and fit him perfectly. His hair was slicked back and barely touched his shoulders. Stephanie couldn't wait to run her fingers through it later. The diamonds in his ears reflected the candle light and sparkled, catching her attention. She smiled brightly when she registered how he was looking at her. She knew that she'd hit drop dead sexy on the head when she saw the look in his eyes.

Hunger. Plain and simple hunger was in the look he gave her, and it wasn't for the food on the table. Ranger looked like he could devour her whole and enjoy every second of the process. Underneath the hunger, love blazed causing his gorgeous brown eyes to sparkle and flame. Stephanie's mouth went dry seeing the level of emotion in his gaze. Ranger's blank face was gone and she was able to read every single thing he was thinking. Stephanie loved every second of it.

Ranger finally found his bearings again after several minutes of standing still and staring at the woman in front of him. He couldn't remember her ever looking so beautiful. He knew that dress would fit her perfectly, but Ranger didn't know that she'd wear it so well. Stephanie looked like an angel and that's exactly what she was to him. She was his angel and he had every intention of showing her just how much he loved her that night. All he had to do was take a step, but he found that task extremely hard...along with a certain part of his anatomy.

Instead of moving, because honestly it wasn't going to happen, Ranger simply held out his hand in invitation for Stephanie to come to him. She smiled and slowly walked forward, seductively swaying her hips. When she was close enough, she put her hand into his and was immediately pulled tight against Ranger's body. He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ranger's warm breath caressed her neck and ear as he whispered, "Babe. You look stunning!"

Stephanie smiled up at him. "Thank you! You look pretty good, too." Ranger smiled back and bent down to capture her lips in a tender kiss. He wanted to take it deeper, but held himself back. There were things he needed to do first. Stephanie looked disappointed when he pulled back causing Ranger to chuckle.

"We'll get to that soon, Babe. Let's eat before dinner gets cold." Ranger led Stephanie to the table and helped her sit down in her chair. Once she was situated, he pulled the dome off her plate and watched her eyes glaze over. Ella's special homemade lasagna filled the plate. Stephanie knew that the amazing woman had spent all day making it just for her. It was a complicated recipe with scratch made noodles and wasn't easy, but tasted absolutely amazing.

Stephanie smiled wide when she saw the same thing on Ranger's plate. Stephanie stuck her tongue in her cheek before saying, "Body's not a temple tonight, Carlos?"

Ranger chuckled and uncorked the wine. "Not tonight, Babe. I thought it could use a day off. However, feel free to worship at it later like it is still." Stephanie's nipples hardened at his words and she bit back a moan. She couldn't wait to worship his temple all night. Ranger saw the look on her face and smiled. He poured her some wine and they both dug into their meal.

Everything was delicious, the food, the wine...everything. Stephanie moaned her way through her entire plate and Ranger hated to give her the dessert, but decided to suffer through it. He knew how much she loved her sweets. He listened in pain as she moaned her way through the plate of homemade tiramisu. Ranger even ate some too and found that it was, in fact, really good. He almost found himself moaning a time or two.

After both dessert plates were practically licked clean and the wine was gone, Ranger stood up from the table and offered Stephanie his hand. There was no hesitation when she placed her hand in his. He pulled her up and kissed her lightly, tasting some of the leftover custard on her lips. "Yum!" Stephanie didn't know how that one single word could turn her on so incredibly much, but it did. Maybe it wasn't the word, but the way it was growled out from the man in front of her.

Without speaking, Ranger led Stephanie to a place on the roof that was covered by a gorgeous six post trellis. It had ivy woven around and through the lattice roof, and there were white Christmas lights mixed throughout the ivy. They stopped in the middle for the covered area and Ranger took Stephanie in his arms again.

"Will you dance with me, Babe?" Ranger whispered the question and all Stephanie could do was nod. Ranger hit a button on the remote in his pocket and the music filtered through the night air. "Listen to the words of this song, Babe. I mean every one of them."

(A/N - Go to YouTube and search, _I'm Yours_ by the Script. The lyrics belong to them. I suggest listening to it before, during or after reading this section. I think it fits Ranger and Stephanie perfectly.)

Stephanie tucked her face into Ranger's neck as they slowly began to move to the music. She didn't recognize the opening strains or the lyrics when the voice started singing them. She realized instantly that it was Ranger singing, so Stephanie did what he asked and she really listened to the words flow beautifully out of his mouth. What she heard brought tears to her eyes.

**_You touch these tired eyes of mine_**

**_And map my face out line by line_**

**_And somehow growing old feels fine_**

Growing old to Stephanie always seemed scary. She didn't like the thought of aging but after meeting and falling in love with Ranger, growing old with him wasn't so scary. Scenes of their life played out in her mind like a movie. Marriage, babies, graduations, weddings, grand babies… She saw them old, with wrinkles and white hair, walking hand in hand down a beach during sunset. She wanted all of those things with him.

**_I listen close for I'm not smart_**

**_You wrap your thoughts in works of art_**

**_And they're hanging on the walls of my heart_**

Stephanie didn't agree that Ranger wasn't smart. She thought he was brilliant and then it dawned on her. He wasn't the smartest when it came to love and that was okay because she wasn't either. They both had a lot to learn about relationships and love, but she knew that as long as they were together, they would always be happy.

**_I may not have the softest touch_**

**_I may not say the words as such_**

**_And though I may not look like much_**

**_I'm yours_**

His touch was perfect in her mind. Ranger's fingers might be calloused and rough, but he never laid a finger on her out of anger. Every touch, every caress was tender and soft. His hands and fingers were magic. She understood he had trouble talking about his feelings, but he'd gotten remarkably better ever since he came to her that night over a year ago. The night they officially became a couple, he opened up.

She understood perfectly that the 'may not look like much' wasn't talking about what people saw on the outside. Ranger was gorgeous. There was no question about that. He was talking about the whole package. People that knew of him, only saw the mercenary and the killer, but he was so much more than that. Stephanie's eyes teared up when he sang, "I'm yours". She couldn't help it.

_**And though my edges may be rough**_

_**I never feel I'm quite enough**_

_**It may not seem like very much**_

_**But I'm yours**_

His edges were rough, but that came with being in the Army for so many years. Those edges made him the man he was and the man that she loved with all her heart. He was enough for her. He was everything that she ever wanted and he was right, he was hers.

The next verse started with tears flowing down Stephanie's face.

_**You healed these scars over time**_

_**Embraced my soul**_

_**You loved my mind**_

_**You're the only angel in my life**_

_**The day news came my best friend died**_

_**My knees went weak and you saw me cry**_

_**Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes**_

He'd told her right before leaving Miami that she'd been the one to heal him many times in the past. When he'd come back from a mission, her apartment was the first place he'd stop because he needed to see her. She centered him and brought light into his life. Together they'd been able to mend and repair the wounds of the last year.

Stephanie knew that he'd lost many friends in war, but she wasn't there for him during those times. She was there to see the broken man who thought he'd lost her, though. She never told him, but Luciano didn't just record her fake funeral. There was a recording device at her grave and he made her listen to Ranger talking to her the day after she was supposedly buried. Hearing his sobs along with his words still broke her heart. She'd seen how broken he looked the night of her rescue. He thought himself weak for showing that emotion but in her mind, it made him stronger. He will always be Batman, the soldier, to her.

The chorus played again as Stephanie listened. He was hers and she was his. They belonged to each other and there was nothing anyone could to tear them apart.

_**I may not have the softest touch**_

_**I may not say the words as such**_

_**I know I don't fit in that much**_

_**But I'm yours**_

He didn't fit into her world and that was precisely what made her love him. Ranger wasn't Burg. He wasn't who she thought she'd marry and spend the rest of her life with when she was a little girl, but he is exactly what she wanted and needed. He was everything to her.

When the lyrics of the song finally ended, the music seemed to loop but it was just a quiet instrumental version. They slowly swayed together a few more minutes and then Ranger pulled back slightly to look down at her. The look of love in his eyes made her catch her breath. He gave her a small smile and a kiss on the nose before taking a step back and kneeling down on one knee. He gently took her left hand in his and gave a kiss to her open palm before speaking.

Ranger was nervous, but you couldn't tell from his voice. He spoke with ease and steadiness as he laid his heart on the line. "Stephanie, I think I fell in love with you the first day I met you. The confidence and light that you carry with you is simply amazing and it was that light that drew me in. You're beautiful, pure and everything good in my life." Stephanie choked back a sob as she listened to him continue.

"I know we haven't gone about things the easy way and that was mostly my fault. Meeting you and falling in love with you was the best thing to happen to me, but it also scared the crap out of me. I know in your mind, I'm a superhero but in reality I'm just a man and I have faults. One of those faults being how long it took me to truly make you mine. The song was right and sometimes I don't feel like I'm quite enough for you, but that's too damn bad because I'm yours, Babe. My heart, mind, body and soul all belong to you and I wouldn't have that any other way." Ranger stopped to let Stephanie wipe some tears off her face and then he let out a breath and bit the bullet.

"You have all of me, Babe and what I'm going to ask you is that you in turn give me all of you." Ranger reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue ring box. "Stephanie Michelle Plum, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you give me everything of yourself just as I have given you all of me?"

The level of emotion flowing through Stephanie was almost unbearable. There was a huge lump in her throat and she couldn't talk, but she desperately wanted to answer him with words and not just with a head nod. She swallowed the emotion back and finally found her voice.

"Carlos, you've had all of me for years. I think I feel in love with you the second I met you, too. We were two lost souls searching for something, and we found that something in each other. You are mine just like I am yours. I would love nothing more than to marry you." Ranger smiled and pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger before standing up and slipping her into his arms. He kissed her passionately and let his lips speak the love and joy he was feeling in his heart. The instrumental music was still playing so they continued to slowly sway to the music as they kissed.

Stephanie looked at the ring on her finger and tears filled her eyes. It wasn't a normal engagement ring but it was them. There were black diamonds wrapping around one side of the ring and then sparkling white on the other. She knew he thought of himself as the darkness while she was the light, but she thought the reverse. He was everything perfect in her world of chaos.

"Oh my God, Carlos...this ring! Where did you find it?" Stephanie whispered because she felt talking normal would ruin the mood.

"I was in Greece a few years ago and ran across a shop that specialized in custom jewelry. I told the guy what I wanted and he made it. If you don't like it..." Stephanie's eyes snapped up and she shook her head.

"God no! I LOVE it. It's gorgeous. It's perfect." Ranger smiled down at her as she looked at the ring on her finger.

"You're perfect, Babe." He traced her face with her finger and tilted her face back up to his. "So very perfect." He bent down and took her perfect lips with his.

After several minutes of kissing and whispered terms of endearment, Ranger pulled back and led Stephanie toward the door. She willingly followed without having to ask where they were going. She knew exactly where they were headed and she was beyond ready for that part of the evening. After they'd walked back into the building, a thought crossed her mind.

"Carlos, is CJ in the apartment?" Ranger smiled and shook his head.

"He's staying with Ella and Louis on six tonight. I figured you'd want to stay close to him tonight rather than going out of town and staying at at hotel. Ella was more than excited to get to spend time with her first 'grand baby' too." Stephanie laughed and stumbled as Ranger pulled her closer to him. She was more thank relieved that Ranger thought enough to keep her close to CJ. Stephanie had made huge strides in her recovery, but she still didn't like being away from her son for very long. Ranger's gruff voice pulled Stephanie out of her thoughts and she realized they were back on the seventh floor in front of the apartment door. "It's just you and I tonight, Babe; so be prepared to scream for me later."

Stephanie felt a gush of wetness flood the space between her legs. She'd been in a heightened state of arousal ever since she first saw him standing beside the table in his suit, but hearing him growl those words to her increased her level of desire. She couldn't remember a time that she wanted him more.

Reading her thoughts caused Ranger to growl and attack her lips with equal hunger as what he read in her. Painfully hard was an understatement to describe his level of discomfort behind the zipper of his pants. Kissing her in the hallway only further made that problem worse. He needed her, but he wanted to cherish her. He was mentally preparing himself to go slow as he pushed her through the apartment door.

He pulled his lips away from hers when the door closed and locked behind him. Her eyes were sparkling with love and her lips were slightly swollen from the ardent kiss. Even though she'd been crying, her make-up was still flawless and not too heavy. Ranger trailed a finger down the side of her face forcing Stephanie to close her eyes at his gentle touch. When he'd reached her jaw, he wrapped his hand around her neck and teased the skin around her hairline. Stephanie let out a sigh and melted a little into his hard body.

Ranger looked down at the woman in front of him. His fiancé. She agreed to be his wife! She agreed to spend the rest of her life with him, loving him. He still couldn't believe that she was finally his. "Do you know how beautiful you are, Babe?"

Stephanie opened her eyes at his whispered question and looked up into his brown eyes. They were the color of liquid dark chocolate at that moment and Stephanie shuddered at the desire behind his hungry gaze. "I know how beautiful you make me feel. When you look at me like you are now, I feel like the most beautiful creature in the world. Thank you for that, my Love."

"You're welcome, but it's easy to look at you like you're the most beautiful human being because you are in my eyes. You constantly take my breath away, Babe." Ranger bent and kissed her lips again, but only briefly. He had another destination in mind for his mouth and a lot of ground to cover before he got there.

Stephanie moaned when she felt his lips trail down her jaw and then across her chin. He moved back up the other side of her jaw and then down her neck by her ear. He took the sensitive flesh where her neck and shoulder met and sucked it between his teeth. He nibbled and sucked gently causing Stephanie to whimper sweetly. Ranger smirked against her skin and then sucked hard, causing a red mark to appear when he moved his lips away. He smiled seeing his handy work.

Ranger could tell Stephanie was about ready to either fall over or spontaneously combust. Her eyes were the color of the deep ocean. So blue that Ranger wanted nothing more than to dive in and drown in them. Ever so slowly, Ranger reached around and unzipped the dress. After he lowered the zipper, Ranger rested his hands on the top of Stephanie's shoulders. He caressed her muscles lightly before slowly dragging the dress straps down her arms. When the dress dropped off her body and pooled on the floor around her feet, Ranger stepped back to gaze at her.

She had no bra on and stood in front of him in only a small white lace thong and those shoes that made her legs look exceptionally long and luscious. Ranger had no intentions of removing those shoes anytime soon.

Stephanie's entire body grew warm and flushed under Ranger's heated gaze. Her panties were beyond ruined and were verging on uncomfortable. Ranger smirked and stepped forward, hooking his thumbs around the thin lace. He slowly lowered the soaked material down her feet. He helped her step out of the scrap of lace and then moved the dress away from her feet as well. Again, Ranger stepped back to inspect her.

He first noticed her freshly waxed skin. His mouth went dry seeing her skin glistening with moisture. Every inch of her body was an adorable shade of pink. She stood in front of a fully clothed Ranger, completely naked. Stephanie knew something about that didn't quite equal out. Stephanie bit her lip coyly before saying, "I think you're a little over dressed for this party, Batman. Can I take your coat, or any other article of your clothing?"

She stepped forward and ran her hands up Ranger's chest, under his jacket. When she got to his shoulders, she pushed the jacket off and down his arms. It joined the floor where her dress and thong currently resided. Next, she slowly worked the little buttons of his shirt. With each inch of skin she exposed, she paused and kissed that place. The shirt soon joined the jacket and Ranger was half way to joining in her current undressed state.

Stephanie bent to lick and suck his nipples as her hands fumbled with the button and zipper of his pants. Ranger's head was thrown back as he relished in the feeling of her lips on his chest. He groaned feeling her lips move up his chest and then he about came undone when her tongue traced around his Adam's apple. Her lips continued their tender assault up his throat and across his jaw.

Her lips fused with his the same time his pants fell away, exposing his throbbing erection. Without thinking, Stephanie wrapped her hands around him and began stroking gently. Ranger deepened the kiss, tilting her head so he could plunder her mouth with his tongue. Realizing they were still in the entryway of the apartment, Ranger scooped her up and stepped out of his shoes and pants before walking quickly into the bedroom.

*~* Smut *~*

Ranger laid Stephanie down in the middle of his bed and lowered himself down on top of her never breaking the kiss. His hands lightly stroked her face and arm. She had never felt so treasured before. When he was about to pass out from lack of oxygen, Ranger pulled away and began a slow decent down her body. He would stop at points along the way down and would kiss, lick, nip, or suck the overheated skin.

Stephanie moaned and squirmed under his lips, causing Ranger to smirk and continue his assault. He skipped over her core and trailed his tongue down one leg and then up the other. She still wore the shoes which turned him on even more. Stephanie let out a contented sigh when he finally settled over where she most needed him. He smirked before slowly licking her from bottom to top, paying close attention to the bundle of excited nerves poking out.

Once Ranger slipped two fingers inside of her, it only took a few minutes of him working her with his mouth and fingers to bring her to her first screaming release. Ranger sat back satisfied and watched as Stephanie came down from her high. She was chanting his name over and over as she tried to regulate her breathing. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw his very satisfied smirk and had to smile back.

"You think you're good, don't you Batman?" Ranger chuckled as he settled back over her and kissed her tenderly. Stephanie moaned into his mouth when she tasted herself on his lips and tongue. She never knew what a turn on that was until that first night with Ranger.

"Oh, I know I'm good, Babe." He positioned himself between her legs at her entrance and kissed her passionately again before pulling back to say, "and I'm about to get a whole lot better." Stephanie moaned at the feeling of Ranger sliding home inside of her. She would never grow tired of him being there.

Ranger paused, letting himself regain some control. Stephanie saw him struggling and placed her hand on his face. Ranger turned his into it and kissed her open palm. It was her left hand so Ranger reached up and turned her hand around and then kissed the ring resting on her finger. His eyes never left hers as he kissed the ring and then the fingers surrounding it. He kissed her palm again and rested her hand over his heart as he started to slowly pull out of her and then slide back in. As much as he wanted to just pound in and out of her, the need to make that moment last forever was all that kept him from doing what he wanted.

Stephanie felt his heart beating under her hand as he set his pace slow and deep. Neither of them spoke words as he moved. Instead, they kept their eyes locked on each other and let their words speak through their eyes. Stephanie could hear every thought and that crossed his mind just like he could read hers. It was a surreal experience.

For what seemed like hours, Ranger and Stephanie danced together in the bed. Ranger would bring her to the brink of release only to back off. Stephanie was about to scream in frustration, but she didn't say anything. She let him use her body the way he wanted to. She didn't push and didn't demand. She let him love her.

Ranger could see the frustration and the need building behind her eyes, so he took pity on her. He ran his hand down her thigh and under her knee. He pulled her leg to wrap around his waist. Stephanie smiled knowing what was coming. She instinctively wrapped her other leg around him and tilted her hips so he could go deeper and hit that certain spot better.

He bent down and captured her lips with his as he sped up his thrusts. Her hand stayed over his heart and his rested over hers. Their lips and tongues mimicked the motion of their hips as they climbed higher and higher. Stephanie's toes tingled as she got closer and closer to that edge she wanted to fly and she knew all she had to do was jump. So she did!

Seconds before he came, Ranger felt Stephanie gasp into his open mouth as her inner muscles clamped down around him. He never removed his lips from hers as he jumped over the cliff and followed her in the flight of climax. Stars burst behind both of their eyes and Stephanie felt like she might explode from the sensations. The feeling of Ranger's release inside of her sent Stephanie shooting off even higher.

The feeling was too great to contain her scream, so she wrenched her mouth away from his and she screamed his name as she came again. Ranger swore as she clamped down on him again, tighter that time than before. It was almost painful, but he relished every second of it. He let her muscles milk him of every ounce of cum before lowering his head and resting his forehead against hers. Their eyes stayed locked on each other's again. Stephanie was so overcome with emotions that she couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes. Ranger kissed each and every one away, but said nothing. He knew they were tears of joy and words didn't need to be said.

Instead of talking, he finished kissing her tears away and then picked up her left hand and kissed her ring again. Tears swelled again in Stephanie's eyes as Ranger rolled off and tucked her into his side. Her hand still rested over his heart. Feeling the steady beat quickly lulled her to sleep. Hugging her close and kissing her head, Ranger let out a sigh of contentment and followed her to sleep. CJ was probably sound asleep a floor below and Ranger held Stephanie in his arms. All was right in his world.

* * *

A/N - There ya have it. A few of you guessed the location of the proposal, so props to you all! Ranger wanted to take her to New York, but I figured Stephanie wanted to stay closer. I decided the roof was the perfect spot. Hopefully you all agree! :)


	33. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine and after this, they will sadly be returned back to JE.

Well my friends, we have come to the end of this amazing journey. Thank you all who have stayed with me through all the angst and drama and who have taken the time to review each chapter. Your kind words and encouragements are the only payments that I need. Your reviews made me happy and kept me posting! If you're an author, then you understand. I hope you all have a great Holiday season! I'm taking a break from writing (my muse has decided to abandon me) but will HOPEFULLY be back with something after the New Year. Stay safe and I'll see you in 2014!

Potterwench...there aren't enough words to thank you, and I'm not just talking about this story. You mean the world to me and I don't know what I'd do without you. Love ya, Babe!

Two other important women need my thanks too. WishingIwasLester'sGirl and MyMerryMen. Both of you have picked me up and dusted me off countless times and I am so thankful for your support and for your friendships. You Babe's are amazing!

* * *

**Epilogue**

The wedding of Stephanie Michelle Plum to Ricardo Carlos Manoso drew a small crowd to a private beach in Point Pleasant. There were only two cops lucky enough to get an invitation to the event but every RangeMan Trenton employee was present and accounted for. RangeMan Boston was in town to take over the Trenton office and to provide extra security for the event.

Frank Plum waited in the hallway outside the bride's room. He was dressed in a tuxedo with royal blue accents and held a bouquet of gorgeous white and blue calla lilies. Frank remembered back to Stephanie's first marriage. She didn't want to marry the Dickless Wonder, but her mother pressured her into it. That wedding day was a whole lot different than the second one and Frank smiled knowing that this one would be his baby girl's last wedding. Frank knew that his daughter and Ranger would be together forever. Hell, anyone who looked at them could tell that they were meant to be.

Helen Plum was busily fluffing Stephanie's dress inside the large bedroom. She would occasionally stop and wipe her eyes because she just couldn't help crying. She never thought she'd ever get to see her daughter look so happy and be so excited about getting married. Helen half expected Stephanie and Ranger to continue to live in sin so when they announced their engagement, she was surprised. Ranger wasn't her first choice for her daughter, but he turned out to be an amazing man and father. Helen remembered the dark days after they all thought Stephanie died. She knew then that Ranger truly loved Stephanie and losing her almost killed him. Seeing them together, now, was like looking at a picture of perfection and she was both proud and happy of the woman Stephanie had become.

Valerie sat on the bed in the room watching her mother and sister with a smile. She still didn't understand Stephanie, but she learned that she didn't need to understand her to love and support her. Valerie knew that Stephanie was different than her and that was okay. She could see how much her sister loved Ranger. Valerie could see how great a mom Stephanie was to CJ, too. She was slightly jealous that her sister had the first and only grandson, but she tried not to let it show. Stephanie didn't need to deal with that along with everything else going on.

On either side of Valerie sat Angie and Mary Alice. They were both attendants in the wedding and looked adorable in the royal blue dresses that Stephanie had picked out for them to wear. Angie smiled as she watched her Aunt primp and fluff her hair. She was really happy that Stephanie was back. Angie secretly looked up to her Aunt. Her mother was always pressuring her to be a perfect 'Burg wife and Angie didn't want that. Her mother talked about being a wife and mother, but Angie wanted to be a doctor. It wasn't that she never wanted to be a wife or a mom, but she knew she didn't want to be JUST that. She wanted to be different like Stephanie and she would need her Aunt's help when the time came to let her Mom and Grandma know of her dreams.

Mary Alice bounced excitedly on the bed next to her mother. She never believed for one second that Stephanie was really dead. They'd always had a connection, so she just knew that Stephanie was still alive and waiting to be found. Turns out MA was right and now that Stephanie was back, she and Mary Alice formed an even more intense bond. It was like they could talk to each other from across town. One day MA was playing at a nearby park and noticed that a man was following her. She didn't like the way he looked at her so she asked in her mind for her Aunt Stephie to help her. Across town, Stephanie heard her niece's plea for help and rushed to the park in time to see the man trying to pull MA into a van.

With one bullet to the knee, the man was down and MA was safe in Stephanie's arms. After that day, neither Valerie nor Helen questioned the bond between the two. If MA said she needed to talk to Stephanie, Valerie called her and they didn't question if Stephanie showed up at all hours of the night. It was too hard to explain, so they just accepted it. MA knew about the engagement before anyone else because she could feel her Aunt's joy when Uncle Carlos asked.

Julie sat with the girls watching her soon to be step mom finish getting ready. Julie was extremely happy about the wedding and basically told her mom that she was coming up to be a part of it. She remembered how broken her father was when he first got to Miami. Julie never told anyone, but she would sometimes sit by his door when she stayed with him and would hear him call out for Stephanie in his dreams. Julie only suggested he go out with her teacher to help him move on, but knew that there wasn't anyone in the world that would ever take Stephanie's place in her dad's heart. Seeing them together after the rescue, Julie could see that they completed each other and instead of her seeing pieces of her father, she was able to see him whole and happy.

Downstairs directing traffic in the house was Edna Mazur. She was as giddy as a school girl because she got to be surrounded by incredibly sexy men and when they weren't paying attention, she got to cop a feel or two. She understood why her granddaughter liked to be around the guys. Stephanie got her hormones from Edna and even though she was old, it didn't mean her hormones weren't still alive and well. She was, however, disappointed because she wasn't able to grope the groom. Stephanie called a cease and desist on her fiancé's excellent package. Edna knew from the looks of it that it was beyond excellent, but it belonged to her granddaughter. She also knew that Trenton was going to be a better place with them together.

Joe Morelli was one of the two cops who received an invitation. He and his wife, Hannah were sitting comfortably in the chairs on the beach. Hannah looked amazed at all the activity and security and Joe just smiled and shook his head. Leave it to Manoso to turn his wedding into an event secure enough for the President, but Joe understood his reasons. He knew, first hand, the anguish and pain that accompanied losing Stephanie Plum from his life. It was something that he didn't wish on anybody. Even though he was happily married and expecting a baby in about eight months, he still loved Stephanie. Joe also knew that he wasn't the one for her. Her 'one' was standing at the back of the beach talking with a massive wall of black. He was happy for them. Even though he and Stephanie had been together for years, it was time for them to move on separately and live their own lives.

Stephanie's cousin, by marriage, was the other cop in attendance. Eddie's wife was constantly trying to control their children while Eddie talked to Lenny, Mary Lou's husband. They were reminiscing about Stephanie in high school and laughing about the exploits she used to get into. After losing Stephanie from their lives for that year, each man vowed to hold their wives closer and to show them just how much they're loved. They make sure to say those three words daily. Who knows when they won't have that opportunity again.

Mary Lou, Stephanie's matron of honor, was patiently waiting in the room with the rest of the bridal party. She'd never seen her best friend look happier. Stephanie was solemn and depressed on her first wedding day. This one, however, Stephanie was practically glowing with excitement. Stephanie was finally getting her happily ever after and Mary Lou was so happy for her. No one deserved to get a happily ever after more than Stephanie and Ranger. They'd both been through so much in the past year, and they both knew the importance of holding onto what matters. Mary Lou was learning that. She never wasted an opportunity to tell the people she loved how special they were to her. It took losing her best friend for a year to learn that lesson. Thinking about it, she figured lots of other people learned the same lesson from Stephanie's "death". Everyone who loved Steph understood that everything can change in the blink of an eye, so they all made sure to forgive often and to love with all their hearts because they knew that they might not have that chance again.

Lula and Connie were both in the bridal room dressed in gorgeous blue dresses. When Stephanie "died", part of them died with her. Lula decided she wanted a better life in honor of her fallen friend, so she quit the bonds office and enrolled in college. The week before the wedding, she'd just finished her second year. Her plans were to get her degree in social work. She wanted to work with the 'working girls' on Stark Street helping them get off the streets and into a better life. Stephanie was so proud of her and made sure to tell her every day.

Like Lula, Connie changed part of her life too. She got serious about finding a man to love her instead of just hopping from bed to bed to get release. She used to be as big a player as Santos, but after Stephanie died, she changed. Connie wanted a family, so she seriously started looking. Turns out she didn't have to look very far. Her brand new fiancé, Vince was waiting downstairs for her. He had been in the bonds office numerous times, but she never took notice. One afternoon, she was alone in the office thinking about Stephanie and crying when Vince walked in. He held her while she cried and then they spent hours telling Stephanie stories. They were inseparable after that and he had just proposed the night before the wedding.

Scattered around downstairs were Stephanie's co-workers and friends. Most of their lives hadn't changed much in the past year, but that didn't matter to them. What mattered was their light was back with them and they were all happier. They were still her protectors, but it was so much easier now. After she'd gotten back, Stephanie jumped right back into the training. She carried her gun everywhere she went and was more than aware of her surroundings. She took protecting her son very, very seriously and she did nothing to put herself or him in danger. That even included not going back to bounty hunting. Instead, she took over client relations and did searches in the office for the guys. Keeping her safe was easy as cake these days.

Hector stood in the back of crowd watching over everything. His heart hurt because the man he loved was getting married to another, but he knew it was for the best. Ranger and Stephanie's love was something you read about in books or saw in a movie. It was a once in a lifetime love and he vowed to do everything in his power to keep them both safe and together. He liked seeing his boss happy and with Stephanie, he was beyond happy. Protecting that happiness was his main focus now.

Rodriguez was standing close to the front, smiling like a fool. Stephanie wanted him to be one of the groomsmen because he was her partner and one of her best friends. He continued to be her partner even when she changed to client relations. Dante refused to leave her side and actually liked working with the clients. He had to wear a suit more days than he liked, but it was a small price to pay for getting to hang out with Stephanie more. He continued to encourage her and she him. She even talked him into asking out the girl from the spa, Claire, and they'd been seriously dating for eight months. She's said the L word but he hasn't. He was close, though, thanks to Stephanie's constant harping. Dante knew, looking at Claire standing beside him, that he would say it soon.

Bobby stood beside Rodriguez texting on his phone. The company medic decided to go back to school and get his MD. RangeMan was paying for his schooling because it would save money in the long run having a full-time doctor on staff. Bobby also talked Ranger into hiring a nurse to help him in the clinic. Ranger left Bobby to pick the perfect person to assist him and he did. Michael Olsen was injured while deployed in Iraq and had a few scars on his face and arms. Bobby hired him after only one interview, shocking everyone in the building. Most of the guys expected Bobby to hire a gorgeous female, but he wanted someone who was experienced and would do a good job. He found that in Michael and since he had a hard time getting hired in a normal hospital, Michael jumped at the opportunity to work with a bunch of military guys. Bobby loved working with him and they had formed a close friendship in the few months they'd been working together.

Lester stood talking with Morelli and Hannah. He was laughing and joking about something Joe said. The day was a special day for him. His best friend was getting married to his cousin and he was in charge of assisting his Godson down the aisle. Stephanie and Ranger wanted CJ in the wedding, so Les volunteered to help him so he could be the little ring bearer. Right now, the baby was sitting on Joe's lap laughing at something that he thought was funny. Les laughed with him even though he was thinking about the events that brought them all there that day, mostly about the year spent without Stephanie.

He'd never felt loss like that before and it changed him. He loved Stephanie, much like Ranger did, but knew that he'd never get the chance to be with her. She only had eyes for Ranger and Les was cool with that. Stephanie helped him open his heart and even though he had no desire to share it with anyone else but her, it was a start. Maybe someday he'd find someone besides Stephanie Plum to love. Until then, he was satisfied being her best friend and CJ's Godfather.

The Best Man was impatiently waiting to get the show on the road. He hated wearing tuxedos and he hated standing in front of crowds, but he would also do anything for his best friend. Tank always had Ranger's back no matter how awkward it made him and this was no different. He knew this day was coming the second he realized the woman in California was in fact Stephanie. Tank knew that Ranger would stop at nothing to get her back. True love doesn't happen very often, so when it does you should fight for it. Ranger did just that and won. Tank was extremely happy for him and Stephanie.

When the time came for the ceremony to start, Ranger and the guys took their places at the front of the aisle, under the gorgeous archway. The Manoso family priest stepped up to his place and the music started. Ranger smiled as each bridesmaid walked down the aisle, but he was too anxious to see his Babe to really pay attention. Although his smile grew wide when Les carried CJ down the aisle. His son was chewing on the little ring pillow causing everyone to giggle as they walked past.

Ranger let out a long sigh when the music finally changed. He knew he was about to see Stephanie and his heart was just about to beat out of his chest. Breathing became impossible when he finally saw her. She was absolutely gorgeous.

Stephanie wore a knee-length white cocktail tiered wedding dress with a lace bodice. It fit her perfectly and hugged her curves in all the right places. White sandals adorned her feet and she carried the white and blue Calla Lilies her father held earlier. Her hair was curly and crazy as it blew in the breeze because Ranger had asked her to wear it down for the ceremony. He loved how uncontrollable her hair always was. It was wild and free just like the woman it belonged to. When Stephanie finally reached Ranger at the front and put her hand in his, she smiled and let out the breath that she'd been holding.

The entire ceremony only lasted about thirty minutes. Much shorter than a traditional Catholic wedding, but both Ranger and Stephanie asked for the priest to cut out some of the pageantry of the ceremony. They humored Ranger's family by having the priest marry them, but neither wanted to have that long of a ceremony. Everyone held their breath when the priest finally announced them husband and wife and let it out when Ranger's lips finally claimed those of his wife.

The entire crowed surged to their feet and cheered when they were finally introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Manoso. Everyone standing there had witnessed the couple's dance for years. Each of them only giving a little piece of themselves and taking whatever they could from the other. Now, everyone present was able to see them each give themselves to the other entirely and there wasn't a dry eye on the beach that evening.

####

Two years after that beach wedding, Ranger and Stephanie sat on a hospital bed each holding a baby in their arms. It had taken them longer than either wanted, but eventually they'd gotten pregnant and Stephanie had just given birth to twins.

Cradled in Stephanie's arms rested Isaac Francis. He was born first and was the spitting image of his older brother. CJ was already calling him Ike, so both Stephanie and Ranger knew that that would become his name. Ike snuggled down and let out a sigh and Stephanie looked at her husband.

Ranger held Isabel Rosa in his arms and couldn't help the tear that escaped his eye. He saw so much of Stephanie in his daughter that it took his breath away. He'd missed everything with Julie and CJ, so when they found out that Stephanie was pregnant again; Ranger immediately stepped back from RangeMan and spent all the time he could with his wife. He went to every appointment, heard every heartbeat, and marveled at every sonogram. He vowed after the twins were born to be there for every milestone that they went through. Stephanie didn't know it, but he'd told Tank not to expect him back to work for three or four more months and even then it was going to be part time. He refused to only give his family a little piece of himself. He promised the whole thing and he intended to keep that promise.

Stephanie's small voice broke the silence in room. "What are you thinking, Carlos? You've been so quiet." Ranger looked up at her and stroked her tired face.

"I was thinking about that song that I sang to you the night I proposed. I told you that night that I was yours, but in all honesty...I'm all of yours. I belong to you and to our children. Each of you has a piece of me just like I have a piece of all of you. That's comforting to know. It brings me peace." Tears filled Stephanie's eyes as she thought about what he said. She understood the underlying tone of what he was saying. Whether he was meaning to or not, Ranger was saying that it comforted him to know that he carried pieces of them around with him in case something happened and they were no longer with him.

"As much as I love your pieces...I prefer the whole man. I love you, Carlos." Ranger bent and wiped the tears off her face before whispering, "I love you too, Babe, you and all your pieces." He looked down at his son before turning his attention back to his daughter. Pieces were important, but Stephanie was right. They couldn't compare to the whole package.

**The End**


End file.
